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The artwork, crafted from 121,000 grains of paddy, depicting Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Lord Hanuman, that arrived in Ayodhya represents the 'Ram Parivar' (Ram Family), a sacred imagery widely revered by devotees.
The artwork has been created by a family of artists from Odisha ahead of the upcoming Ram Navami festival. Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Director of the International Shri Ram Katha Museum, noted that the tableau represents the 'Ram Parivar' (Ram Family), a sacred imagery widely revered by devotees. He emphasised that the piece is not merely a product of artistic imagination but strictly adheres to the iconographic features and canonical standards prescribed by scriptural traditions. "Constructed from 121,000 paddy grains and bound together with silk threads, the piece adheres strictly to established iconographic principles. It is not merely a product of personal imagination; rather, it meticulously incorporates the specific iconographic features and canonical standards prescribed by scriptural tradition. It depicts Lord Shri Ram, Mother Sita, his brother Bharat-ji, and his devoted servant Hanuman-ji--a tableau representing the 'Ram Parivar' (Ram Family), a sacred imagery you encounter frequently," Sing told ANI. He further said that this artwork is described as a testament to extraordinary artistic skill. Singh stated that the piece was presented by an Odisha-based artist and will soon be placed on display for devotees at the museum, which was established by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust. He further highlighted that the artwork was crafted by a group of young artists, who fell into the age group of 19 to 20, and they dedicated six to seven months to complete this intricate project. "You will be surprised that the artists who made this, they are 19 to 20 years old. And it took them about 6 to 7 months to make this. It is not that an artist will come and make it. They make it very carefully. For example, they will wash their hands, take a bath, do pooja, and then they will start making it," said Singh. Singh stressed that the artistic family from Odisha expressed a profound desire to have their work showcased at the 'Antar Kasht Shri Ram Katha' exhibition, which is currently being hosted under the aegis of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust. "With Ram Navami approaching, this family from Odisha, Pankaj-ji, Shailaja-ji, and Pradeep-ji, arrived to showcase extraordinary craftsmanship. Intially, we had issued no advertisements nor made any specific requests for such a contribution, but while travelling in the region, they learned of the 'Antar Kasht Shri Ram Katha' exhibition being hosted under the aegis of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, and hence they expressed a heartfelt desire to have their artwork displayed on their premises," added Singh. Singh further noted that this artwork is rare even within Odisha, and it is a unique speciality of the Nabarangpur district. "I state this with absolute conviction and assurance: such exquisite craftsmanship is not found just anywhere. It is not a common occurrence even within the broader state of Odisha; rather, it is a unique speciality of the Nabarangpur district," added Singh. Upon witnessing the artwork, the saints of Ayodhya remarked that they had never seen such a magnificent creation in their lives. They attributed the masterpiece to divine intervention, stating that it was solely through the grace of Lord Rama that such an extraordinary work could be realised after such arduous labour. (ANI)
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