BHUBANESWAR, July 5, 2013: The beautifully-crafted chariots of the three deities speak volumes about the craftsmanship of carpenters in Puri. But they are not alone. The Rath Yatra has stirred the imagination of artists, who are busy giving finishing touches to their works of art, including small idols and chariots made of stone and wood, pattachitra, sand and applique.

Pankaj Behera of Pattachitra Centre has created a gigantic painting, depicting the festive mood on canvas (16 feet wide and 6 feet long). "It took me a year to complete the work. Three other artists helped me to give the finishing touches last week," Behera said. "It was an arduous job to paint the three chariots and scores of pilgrims," said his elder brother Saroj Behera. The Pattachitra Centre has also made a huge painting (8 feet wide and 5 feet long) of the presiding deities of the Jagannath temple. The two handiworks have been kept on display at the centre to attract tourists.

Artisans are working overtime to meet the orders for idols and small chariots made of wood. "We have already supplied nearly 500 idols to Jagannath temples in the state and outside," said Gajendra Maharana, a carpenter. Maharana said he recently sent a consignment of 250 wooden idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarsan to Kolkata. Some ISKCON devotees from America also purchased tiny idols of the deities to install them on chariots in their country, he added.

The applique artists in Puri and Pipili are also raking in moolah in the run up to Rath Yatra. Applique handiworks are used to decorate chariots.
 

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 5, 2013.