Berhampur: Two artists from silk city have crafted eco-friendly miniature chariots and idols of Lord Jagannath using agarbatti (incense sticks), canes, and old newspapers ahead of Rath Yatra, which will be held on Friday.Hari Gobind Moharana, 56, an auto mechanic, created a 3.3-inch tall image of Lord Jagannath using incense sticks and watercolours. “I used nearly one kilogram of incense sticks for the idol. The process involved bundling the sticks, then shaping the deity’s nose, hands, and other features by inserting the sticks precisely, and finally applying watercolours,” said Moharana.He added, “It took me around a day to complete. In the past, I’ve made idols and chariots using food grains, spices, crystals, and triphala. This year, however, I focused only on the idol. Through this, I want to spread the message of peace — like the fragrance of incense — across the world.”Meanwhile, 41-year-old Satya Narayan Moharana, another local artist and businessman, crafted a miniature replica of Nandighosh, the chariot of Lord Jagannath, using unused canes. The model measured 11 inches in height and 7.5 inches in width. He also made another smaller chariot, just 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide, from old newspapers.“To make the chariot more attractive, I applied watercolour,” said Satya. “With these creations, I want to promote the message of celebrating Rath Yatra in an eco-friendly manner — without using banned plastic items.” Satya has been making miniature chariots and idols during Rath Yatra for the past several years. “It gives me immense satisfaction to create miniature chariots for Rath Yatra,” he said.
