Odisha’s Sudarsan Pattnaik: India’s Sand Art Magician

If you happen to be strolling on Puri’s golden beach and come across a sand castle that is a work of beauty, you might have just stumbled across the work of India’s master sand artist and one of the best in the world. He is none other than Puri’s local boy, Sudarsan Pattnaik, who has been honoured with the Padma Shri and many other domestic and international awards and achievements. His work is so special that in itself it becomes a tourist attraction in Puri and one that you should experience on your Odisha holiday.



Sudarsan Pattnaik builds such sand castles and art work on important festival dates and/or to celebrate an important person, landmark or event. The one in this article was built to highlight the rich culture of Odisha, an important campaign being run by Odisha tourism at that time. If you happen to in Puri on these days, you might be lucky to see the magic unfold up close and in real. And if you happen to be in Puri on other days, you could head to the open air Sudarsan Sand Art institute in Puri and see the live sand art sessions.



Born into a simple family in Marchikote lane in Puri district, Sudarsan Pattnaik began his creative art at a very young age. In 2017, he broke the Guinness world record for the world’s largest sand castle and held this record for two years, before it was broken by Skluptura projects of Germany. He has represented India in over 60 international sand sculpture championships and festivals across the world and has won 27 of those. In spite of all these awards, felicitations and recognition, this man from Odisha remains as humble as ever and may be that is the reason his work keeps getting better and better with time. I would recommend that you see his work and/or meet the man himself on your next trip to Odisha’s Puri.



How to reach there:

The nearest airport would be Bhubaneshwar international airport. From there, it is a two hour car drive to Puri.

The nearest railway station would be Puri railway station. Puri railway station is well connected with the rest of the country. For much more options, look for trains going to Khurda road and then you could take a connecting train from there.

The nearest bus station would be Puri bus station. Puri is well connected by road with the rest of the country. Buses ply daily between Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack and Konark.



Best season to visit:

The best season to visit Puri would be from October through February when the weather is pleasant and the days are bright. Summers can get a bit stifling during the day, but evenings are better thanks to the sea breeze. Monsoons completely change the look of this city and make for great photographs, but you will not find any sand art during the monsoon season.



Where to stay:

Most places to stay are either located by the Golden beach or near the Puri Jagannath temple. A few larger properties are located in the business district. The hotels near the beaches cater to a wide range of budgets and most of them have their own in-house restaurants. Puri has a weird 8 AM checkout time. Do keep that in mind.



Where to eat:

Puri has many restaurants and street side shops to cater to your eating requirements. There are many hotels with roof top restaurants offering gorgeous views of the Bay of Bengal while serving you delicious food. If you wish to eat some authentic food, most of them can be found in the many small lanes leading to the Puri Jagannath temple. Such shops serve you misti doi, sweets, tea, puri bhaaji, etc. There are many restaurants on the road next to the Golden beach. These places also offer a wide variety of cuisines.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Puri Jagannath temple – an iconic temple and considered one of the Char Dhams for followers of Lord Vishnu

2) 13th century Konark Sun temple – UNESCO World Heritage Site and the sign of a once sexually liberal India

3) Raghurajpur PattaChitra – India’s miniature art honed for over 2500 years

4) Pipili Chandua Artisans – traditionally decorating everything from gods to wedding to products

5) Ravana Chhaya – 6000 year old shadow puppet play of Odisha

6) Gotipua dance of Odisha at Raghurajpur – ancient dance form from the state of Odisha

7) Dhauli Stupa – a peaceful location offering a panoramic view of the Kalinga battlefield

8) Bhubaneshwar Heritage and Temple Walk – lose yourself in 1300 years of temple and cultural magic

9) Tarakasi Silver Filigree work – 500 year old heritage of Odisha

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Gotipua Dance of Odisha: Where boys dressed as girls perform with grace and acrobatics

It is an ancient dance form from the state of Odisha. Some even consider it to be the precursor to the modern day Odissi classical dance. It is a combination of masculine and feminine elements. It is a combination of grace and strength. I am referring to the traditional Gotipua dance of Odisha.



Gotipua (which literally translates into single boy), is a dance form that is believed to have originated in the Puri Jagannath temple many centuries back and whose heritage is kept alive in the tiny village of Raghurajpur. It is a group dance where the dancers praise Lord Jagannath and Krishna by enacting different stories from the life of Radha and Krishna. Beautifully decked dancers perform these stories with graceful movements and a rich show of acrobatics.



This dance form is unique in many ways.

1) Young boys transform themselves into graceful feminine dancers for this dance



2) Their femininity transforms into grace and poise, while their inner masculinity transforms into strength, acrobatics and yogic mudras

3) And most of them stop dancing once they hit puberty



Sounds interesting right? Well, to understand its uniqueness, you have to understand a bit of its history.

History of Gotipua dance



There are two prevalent theories when it comes to the history of Gotipua. One theory states that the Devadasi system gradually declined with the advent of the Mughals. The priests of the Puri Jagannath temple selected boys from poor families to dance for the deity and carry forward the legacy. The other theory is related to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the famous Bhakti saint, who wanted dance troupes to dance during the Rath Yatra. However, the temple priests declined his request citing menstruating devadasis would make the ceremony impure. So eventually young boys were chosen for this dance.

Lifecycle of Gotipua Dancers



Boys from poor families are chosen at a very young age (4 to 5 years old) and are taught the various nuances of this dance form under a guru. The parents agree for two reasons. One, they ae poor and two, they believe Gotipua is special and is reserved only for God’s children.

From the time they are enrolled into the dance school, these boys do not cut their hair and let it grow. They learn how to tie it into a knot and adorn their face with make-up, such as kajal, bindi and traditional paintings. They wear a traditional dress called Kanchula and nibibandha (a bright colored blouse and apron like silk cloth tied around the waist like a frill). Their palms and soles are anointed with a red liquid called Alta. And in addition, they wear necklaces, bracelets, armbands, nose rings, ear ornaments and others. Most of these are considered sacred.



They are then taught the entire repertoire of the Gotipua dance that includes the worship prayer (vandana), Sa ri ga ma dance, enactment of songs or ancient writings (Abhinaya) and acrobatic yogic postures (bandha Nrutya).

They keep learning, practicing and performing till they attain puberty or lose their boyish charms and grown into a man. And that is when they move into a different form of dance or they start grooming young Gotipua dancers themselves.



In a Gotipua dance performance, you get to feel the innocence of the child, the beautiful depiction of the Radha Krishna Leela through the various actions, the beauty, poise and grace of their outwardly feminine form and finally the sheer strength when they perform the stunning acrobatic stunts. All in all, this ancient dance form is as captivating as a modern one. And it is packed with a lot of energy too in addition to folklore, classical forms, music and mythology. A beautiful mix of art, emotion and storytelling that makes for a heady concoction. A must experience on a cultural trip to Odisha.



Where to experience this dance form in Odisha:

Most popular resorts showcase a Gotipua dance performance at their premises from time to time. And so do dance academies in Bhubaneshwar. But, if you wish to visit the roots and spend time with the actual dancers and the artisans, the heritage village of Raghurajpur would be your best bet.



How to get here:

The nearest domestic and international airport would be Bhubaneshwar, which is about 60 kms away. Bhubaneshwar or Puri would be your nearest railway and bus stations. Puri is 15 kms away from Raghurajpur, while Bhubaneshwar is 60 kms away. You can opt for local buses, auto rickshaws, cab services or drive on your own.



Best season to visit:

You can visit all year around, but it is prudent to avoid the hot summer months of March to June.



Where to stay here:

If simple rustic life is your thing, stay at any of the homes of the artisans in Raghurajpur.

If you need modern day comforts and luxury, opt to stay in Puri (about 15 kms away) or at Bhubaneshwar (about 60 kms away).



Nearby tourist attractions:

1) Heritage village of Raghurajpur known for its Pattachitra, Tadopatra and papier mache artisans

2) Pipili village known for its chandua artisans and their applique work

3) The UNESCO World Heritage site of Konark Sun Temple

4) Puri Jagannath temple, one of the char dhams and its beautiful beaches

5) Bhubaneshwar and its many intricate temples

6) The ancient cave temples at Udayagiri and Khandagiri

7) The historic Buddhist trail at Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri

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Bhubaneshwar Heritage Walk: Lose yourself in 1300 years of temple and cultural magic

Some of India’s richest art, culture and history is depicted in its gorgeous temples. These temples, which have weathered the test of time, speak of amazing stories from our glorious past. One such group of temples that speak beautiful stories are the temples from the Kalinga empire that are located in Bhubaneshwar, the capital city of Odisha.



These temples, which are part of a cultural and heritage trail in Odisha are best explored by foot and that too early in the morning. On my recent cultural holiday to Odisha, I ended up going on one such morning heritage walk with Ekamra Walks (run by the government of Odisha) and boy was it an enlightening experience.



When  you enter this part of Bhubaneshwar old town just before sunrise, most of these temples are shrouded in mist. And as the sun rises up, these temples make a grand appearance from under the mist and a diverse set of people go about their yoga, walking, jogging, morning shopping at the street food markets and offer their prayers to the lord.



And then there are some like us who are in the old town with a spring in our steps, a sparkle in our eyes and a camera in our hand, eager to explore the art, history and culture of these utterly beautiful temples.



This two hour long Bhubaneshwar heritage walk begins at 10th century Mukteswar temple that is considered the gem of Odishan architecture and from there meanders its way through narrow lanes lined with trees and old structures to the 7th century Parasurameswar temple, Kotitirtheswar temple, Bindusagar lake, the busy kitchen at Ananta Basudev temple, the British era Dharamshala, the colorful street market called Ratha Danda, the elevated platform offering a panoramic view of the Lingaraj temple campus, 13th century Sari Deul temple and matha before finishing the walk at Vaital temple and the herbal medicinal garden called Ekamravan.



While the entire heritage walk offers a splendid experience, there are some highlights that you should not miss. And more so, you should keep your ears open and listen to your Ekamra guide when you are at these spots.



These highlights are:
1) The stunning archway, intricate carvings, sculpting and filigree designs at Mukteswar temple

2) The preparation of the morning bhog in the temple kitchen of Ananta Basudev temple

3) The view of the Lingaraj temple from the elevated platform

4) And the fact that most of this Bhubaneshwar old town was a prototyping ground for the temple architects of that era, which you can see through the many small temples built in such a small area



While you will spend most of your time at Mukteswar temple as this is the most beautiful and well preserved temple, I loved every bit of the Bhubaneshwar heritage walk and hoped to spend quality time almost at all pit stops.



The mythological stories of the formation of Bindu Sagar lake, the sheer early morning cooking action at Ananta Basudev temple, the simple charm of the dharamshala for the pilgrims, the colorful vegetable sellers and the locals haggling for the prices, the sheer divinity at Lingaraj temple, the tantrik practices of Vaital temple and so many other rich experiences can be made while walking though this paragon of beautiful history.



This heritage walk run by Ekamra and their very knowledgeable guides make the overall cultural and heritage experience so much richer. Not only can you stare at the beautiful pieces of stone, but you can even listen to their astounding meanings and stories when explained by the Ekamra guides. And some of these stories will really blow your mind and certainly captivate everyone’s imagination.



And once you get a good lay of the land and get to understand its hidden riches, you can make many other morning trips just to amble around 1400 years of heritage and may be even indulge in some quality photography and videography.



You can either go on this temple walk at the beginning of your trip or at the end after exploring Puri, Konark, Cuttack, Chilika lake and other hotspots. Or you can even do it on a short weekend trip to Bhubaneshwar. But, whatever you do, do not miss out on experiencing this rich temple heritage from India’s glorious past. It is a must experience for all temple, art, culture, heritage and travel lovers!



Key points to remember:

1) Bhubaneshwar can get quite hot during the non winter months. Hence, it is recommend to carry a hat, umbrella, a small bottle of water and sunglasses to protect yourself from the elements.

2) Wear comfortable shoes as you will be walking about 3 kms in total.

3) Wear decent clothing as most of these places on the heritage trail are still working temples.

4) No mobile phones, cameras, leather goods and bags are allowed inside Lingaraj temple. There are lockers where you can keep your belongings for safekeeping.

5) Non Hindus are not allowed inside Lingaraj temple.



Timings for the Bhubaneshwar Heritage Walk organized by Ekamra

The temple walk is organized every Sunday at 6:30 AM. The walk is free of cost, but one has to register online at Ekamra Walks website.

Their other heritage walks:

The Khandagiri and Udayagiri cave walk is organized every Saturday at 6:30 AM.

The Musueum walk at Kalabhoomi is organized every Sunday at 3:30 PM.



How to get here:

Bhubaneshwar is well connected by air, rail and road with all of India and thus reaching this city isn’t a problem. The Bhubaneshwar old town is just a 10 minute drive from the airport and easily accessible from most places in the city.



Best time to go on this heritage walk:

It is best to start this walk just before sunrise to make the best use of lack of crowds, good weather and for street market action. One can also go around sunset time for a different experience.

Summers in Bhubaneshwar can get seriously hot, so it might be prudent to plan your trip during non summer months. The heritage walk is a joy during the rains and the cold winter months.



Where to stay:

Bhubaneshwar has plenty of stay options – from luxury hotels to traditional homestays and budget guest houses. If you wish to visit the temples often, it is advised to stay closer to the old town.



Nearby Tourist Attractions:

1) The ancient cave temples of Udayagiri and Khandagiri

2) The coastal temple town of Puri



3) The Sun temple of Konark

4) The chandua artisans of Pipili

5) The heritage village of Raghurajpur



6) The sound and light show at Dhauli Stupa

7) The authentic Odisha Rasgula experience at Pahala

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Ravana Chhaya: 6000 year old Shadow Puppet Play of Odisha

Did you know that shadow puppetry originated in India around the 5th century BC, about 6000 years back. Although exact point of origin has not been found, it has found mention in many ancient literary texts, such as Mahabharata of Vyasa (5th century BC), Mahabhasya of Patanjali (4th century BC), Arthasatra of Kautilya (2nd century BC), Kamasutra of Vatsyana (7th century AD) and Uttara Rama Charita and Mahaveera Charita of Bababhuti (8th century AD) among many others.



It is quite probable that you have seen this ancient art form in action in our Indian villages during a festival or other event. I have been privileged to see it at quite a few places in India during my school summer holidays when we traveled to different parts of the country. At that time, I never understood its heritage value, but now that I do, I yearn and hope to see more people and places try to keep shadow puppetry alive. For some weird reason, the mere sight of a shadow puppet play makes me feel like a child again.



My latest tryst with shadow puppetry came during my culture holiday to Odisha, where I got to meet the expert artist Dr. Gouranga Charan Dash and his team and where I got to immerse myself into the world of shadow puppet plays both from the front of the stage as well as backstage, which is way more fun in my opinion. This shadow puppet play is called ‘Ravaa Chhaya’ in Odisha. It goes by other names in different parts of India, such as ‘Tholu Bommalattam’ in Tamil Nadu, ‘Togalu Gombeeatta’ in Karnataka, ‘Tolu Bommalata’ in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ‘Chamdya Chaya Bahulya’ in Maharashtra, ‘Tol Pavakoothu’ in Kerala and ‘Chaya Putul Nacha’ in West Bengal.



In this shadow puppetry art form of Odisha, colored shadows, background voice overs and music present stories from the Ramayana, especially popular ones such as abduction of Sita and quest for Sita. While stories from Ramayana are the mainstay for Ravana Chhaya performances, many artists also present stories from Mahalaxmi Katha, Krishna Leela and even contemporary and modern stories.



The puppets of Ravana Chhaya are hand made using a single piece of untanned deer and cow hide. Either they are left in neutral color of the hide or they are colored using natural substances to depict clothes, jewellery, accessories, etc. The music which is played in the background is an interesting blend of folk, classic and modern with many traditional musical instruments such as tambourine, cymbal, daskathi, mridangam and tabla.



The entire Ravana Chhaya shadow puppetry performance is managed by a group of artists who don different hats. Some are in charge of playing the musical instruments, while the others are in charge of manipulating and controlling the puppets through the prop that is attached to its lowest part. Depending on the scene, there could be one or more people holding puppets against the light. And similarly with voice overs, it could be one person telling the story or it could be more than one. One of the specialties of Ravana Chhaya is the voice over where heavy emotional tones are used to convey the emotion of the scene to the audience.



When you are looking at the performance from the front, all you see is an empty white screen at the beginning and a play of still and moving puppets during the performance. When you are back stage (behind the white screen), it is a different world altogether. A maze of puppets are strewn all over the floor. Different artists are crouched below the white screen and are manipulating their puppets with their fingers to give that feel of life like motion to the audience. One of them who is the leader handles all the main characters, while the support staff handle the puppets which portray the other elements of the story, such as animals, birds, trees, etc. Behind these artists is the strong light source, which is instrumental in casting the shadow and behind them are the musicians who add beat and rhythm to the shadow puppet play.



The sheer diversity of puppets, the beautiful flow of emotions in the voice overs, the melodious music and the popular stories makes Ravana Chhaya a riveting experience. And the way they bring characters to life through shadows, their movements, voices and music is what makes this ancient art form so very special.



Such gorgeous ancient art forms are to be treasured by the entire human race. This Indian heritage can certainly awaken the child in you and make you leave the auditorium with a big smile on your face, a spring in your step and pure joy in your heart and soul. I would certainly recommend experiencing Ravana Chhaya during your next holiday to Odisha.



Where to experience it:

Srirama Institute of Shadow Theatre, Ananda Ashram, near Kutari munda in the Angul district of Odisha. Ask for Dr. Gouranga  Charan Dash, Sri Prahlad Behera or Dr. Sabitri Dash.

How to get there:

Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport. From Bhubaneshwar to the ashram is about a 4 hour road trip. The nearest railway station is Talcher, about 40 kms from the ashram.

Water Puppet Show

If you love puppet shows, you might want to check out the water puppet show of Vietnam, which I feel is one of the 7 must have experiences in Vietnam.

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Story of King Ashoka through the Light and Sound Show at Dhauli Stupa, Odisha

King Ashoka or Ashoka the Great, was one of India’s greatest kings. The grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya dynasty, King Ashoka ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from 268 to 232 BC. From Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the East and from Kashmir in the north to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in the South, his empire’s reign was absolutely massive. The turning point in his life came right after he won the bloody Kalinga (the land we know as Odisha today) war. He was deeply affected by all the bloodshed and that is when he made the switch to Buddhism and became one of the strongest preachers and ambassadors of Buddhism in the world. It was because of him that Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Tibet, China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries in the far east.



As Indians, we have learned and read about him in our schools and books and see his influence on our Indian flag, our currencies and at many other locations across the country (I am referring to his emblem as seen on Sarnath’s Ashoka pillar). But, nothing comes close to the experience of transporting yourself 2,500 years to the time where lands were known as Kalinga, Magadh, Patliputra, etc. and re-living the life of one of the greatest kings the planet has ever known.



One of the best places to have this experience is Dhauli Stupa, the place from where you can see the Kalinga battlefield and the place where King Ashoka left his violence behind and embraced the guidance and teachings of Lord Buddha. This story is told every evening at Dhauli Stupa through a spectacular light and sound show. Created by renowned Russian artist Maria Rud and local sand artists, this visual and auditory treat carries the iconic voice of Om Puri (in Hindi), Kabir Bedi (in English) and Bijaya Mohanty (in Odia). During this show, the white peace pagoda of Dhauli is morphed into a fast moving mural canvas with the latest 3D projection mapping technology and 5.1 surround sound. It is a must experience for all visitors on a holiday to Odisha!

Below is the entire light and sound show in 3 video parts for all those who cannot travel to Dhauli and experience it in person. Do watch it on big screens with highest resolution and good quality sound system to appreciate it more. I took all three videos using my Google Pixel 2XL mobile phone.

P A R T 1



P A R T 2



P A R T 3



Timings: There are 2 shows every day. One at 6 PM and the other at 6: 45 PM. The show lasts a total of 35 minutes

Cost: The ticket for each adult costs INR 25 and INR 10 for students

How to reach there: Bhubaneshwar is your nearest airport, railway station and bus hub. You can reach Dhauli by road in about 60 minutes from Bhubaneshwar. You could either hire an auto rickshaw or car for the commute. There are a few steps that one has to climb to reach Dhauli hill from the parking lot.

Best Season: Winter would be the ideal season to see this show as temperatures would be very pleasant.

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