Bhubaneswar, June 27: The traditional artists or chitrakaras are back with their brushes and colours to paint the decorative wooden sculptures for the three chariots.

After just four days of having taken up the work, one could see their extreme devotion and love for the lord with each stroke of the brush and urgency in completing the task on time.

Bringing along their palettes and array of natural colours to ratha khala, the site of chariot construction, these artists are immersed in work the whole day. Working with these colours comes naturally to them.

“We learnt the tricks of painting the chariot sculptures when we were kids. Assisting our chief chitrakaras, Narayan Moharana and Budha Moharana, we learnt making colours from conch shells, flowers, leaves and other natural elements. These are used round the year at almost all special rituals of the temple,” said Debadatta Moharana, a chitrakara working on the sculptures of Goddess Subhadra’s chariot, Debadalana.

As they began work on Monday, the artists first washed and cleaned the set of 27 parswa devatas or idols (a set of nine idols) for each chariot. They also cleaned the idols of guards Jaya and Bijaya for Jagannath and Balabhadra’s chariot as well as the two sakhi idols for Subhadra’s chariot. They then coated those with enamel paint to ensure rainwater does not wash the initial paint.

“We wait for this time of the year when we can offer our services to the Lord. Despite any kind of natural hindrance or otherwise, we know that our work will be completed on time. Though it is raining so heavily now, we know that there won’t be any delay. Because it feels like the lord dwells inside us when we are painting to ensure everything goes perfect,” said senior chitrakara Chandra Sekhar Moharana.

They not only show an unwavering faith in their craft but also enjoy every bit of their duty despite their age. “Our seniors are in their late 60s and yet we all enjoy the chores related to decorating the chariots,” said Debadatta Moharana.