25 feet Santa Claus in Puri

Puri, Dec.25 (ANI): Noted sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik has sculpted Santa Claus and Jesus Christ at the Golden Beach of Puri, to spread the message of peace during Christmas festival in his inimitable way.

Sudarshan and his group of artistes worked diligently on Christmas-eve on Wednesday to create particularly the Santa Claus, which is 25 ft high. It took 600 tonnes of sand and 30 hours of work.

"This Santa Claus is made to spread the message of peace and harmony amongst the people on the occasion of Christmas," said Sudarshan Patnaik, the sand artist who was assisted by 15 of his students in this work.

In his sculpture, Patnaik has shown Santa Claus giving message of peace to the world and Jesus Christ moving across globe. He used colour sand to create the live image of Santa in which the Santa has been shown distributing peace in the form of gifts.

Sudarshan Patnaik hopes that his latest creation Santa Clause may find entry in the Limca Book of Records, the Indian book of world records.

The sculptures will be available for public display till New Year Day (January 1).

Meanwhile, Patnaik's ongoing sand art festival is drawing curious onlookers in large numbers.

"It's amazing. It is wonderful. The artist who made it is really brilliant because the expression in the face. I can't imagine how he made it and how he designed it. I'm impressed by your culture," said Aafke Laumans, a tourist from Holland on the beach.

World Champion Sudarshan Patnaik has participated in over 37 international sand sculpture championships across the world and won many awards.

Last year too, Sudarshan created the biggest sand made Jesus Christ and longest Santa Claus at Puri beach. It was registered in the Limca Book of World Records.

Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is the legendary and mythical figure who, in many Western cultures, brings gifts to good children during the late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve, December 24. By Sharada Lahangir (ANI)