BHUBANESWAR: When the people arrive at the Biju Patnaik airport in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, they are sure to be welcomed by the beautiful sand art that depicts the mythologically-significant monuments of the erstwhile state. This time, not only will the visitors traveling for the FIH Odisha Hockey men’s World Cup be treated to sand sculpture at the airport, but one can also witness the world’s largest hockey sculpture erected on the banks of the Mahanadi river in Cuttack, where the ‘celebration’ event is scheduled for January 11 to mark the opening of the mega hockey event starting two days later.
Being in news for making globally popular sand art, Sudarshan Pattnaik this time chose to create a 105-feet long hockey stick, using 5000 hockey balls. The sand artist used over five tonnes of sand for the sculpture which also showcases the newly built Birsa Munda hockey stadium in Rourkela.
