A 12-feet high sand sculpture portraying a scene from the Olympics is drawing crowds in Puri, Orissa.
Braving rain, sand sculptor Sudarshan Patnaik on Tuesday created the images of hockey team captain Dilip Tirkey and weightlifter Karnam Malleswari on the Puri beach.
The sculpture also includes images of the Olympic flame and the medal. He has also displayed several placards, which carry slogans seeking world peace and universal brotherhood besides words of encouragement for Indian sportspersons.
"Olympic is symbol of friendship as the participants come from across the globe. I am proud that Dilip Tirkey, who hails from my state (Orissa), is heading India's hockey team. This sculpture is to encourage him and his team and the other members of the Indian contingent," Patnaik told rediff.com.
"We are asking visitors to convey their best wishes to the Indian contingent on the sand. Hundreds of people are visiting the site and writing messages," he said.
"The sculpture is really good," said 34-year-old Rabindra Mohanty, an IT professional who visited the site along with his wife and two children despite the rain.
Photograph: Sarat Kumar Patra
