Artist Chandan Nayak gives final touches to some of the coconut artworks in Cuttack. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Jan. 22: Twenty-seven-year-old Chandan Nayak is busy giving final touches to his engraved artwork on dried coconuts, which will be displayed at the Netaji Birthplace Museum.

This apart, a gigantic sand art by Pramod Patnaik is also set to be a major attraction on the occasion of Bose’s 116th birth anniversary here tomorrow. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the much-awaited light-and-sound system and a new gallery at the museum, situated in Odia Bazaar.

“An eight-feet replica of Subhas Chandra Bose is being created to mark his birth anniversary that is celebrated in a grand manner in Cuttack,” said Naveen.

He said the sand art, which has been named Salute to Motherland, would feature various aspects of the life of Netaji. Around 10 tractor-loads of sand have been used to make it. Sand art has been a major attraction in Netaji’s birth anniversary festivities over the past three years.

“Netaji Jayanti is observed in a grand manner at his birthplace in Odia Bazaar. The house where he was born has been converted into a museum, one of the best-maintained in the country,” said Dilip Rout, a visitor.

This time, the art on coconuts has already begun to attract many visitors to the museum in the millennium city.

The artist has decided to donate around 25 coconut artworks based on Subhas Chandra Bose, Azad Hind Fauj and other eminent personalities to the museum. “Giving shape to imagination on dried coconuts is tough. However, with a little effort and dedication, I have successfully managed to come up with the artwork on a single coconut,” said Nayak, the artist.

Nayak, who hails from Puri and works as a peon at Orissa High Court, began to experiment with coconut art in 2000. He claims to have mastered it over the past three years. The artist uses just a knife and a cutter to carve the coconuts.

“It usually takes around 15 to 20 days to complete any design on coconuts. I will try to come up with more interesting themes and designs on coconuts in the near future,” he said.