Bhubaneswar, March 18: Artists have begun expressing their reflections of creation of the new idol of Lord Jagannath in Puri at an installation workshop under way at Lalit Kala Akademi regional centre here ahead of the Nabakalebar.

The Jagannath culture itself is full of art forms and the Nabakalebar event, in itself, involves sculptors and painters. The ongoing workshop is a collaboration of eight sevayats and traditional artists of Puri, who are working together with eight contemporary Odia artists.

Various themes inspired from the Nabakalebar are being depicted in the installations that use elements typical to the Puri temple and rituals of the Lord. 'The Nabakalebar is a unique event where the Lord sheds His old body to re-emerge in resplendent glory through a consecration ceremony. The entire panorama of events appear a narrative frieze, where stories are told and retold and this challenge attracts many from far off places to see, worship and record the events,' said the akademi's regional secretary Ramakrishna Vedala.

Through their art works, the 16 artists are trying in creative ways to map the geography of the sacred event that spreads across four months, including a journey to a sacred grove for the quest of the destined trees of which wood will be used to make the new idols. A divine dream for the servitors at the Mata Mangala Mandir is said to be the key to the cryptic puzzle of choosing the right tree.

Artists at the workshop have already conceptualised various creations and are working towards them. 'I'm planning to project different dimensions of the logs that transform into the Lord during the Nabakalebar. From its identity of being something completely unknown to becoming the most sought after symbol, the daru is a powerful object in the entire process,' said Kantakishore Maharana, a well-known young sculptor.

Similarly, contemporary artist Veejayant Dash is working on deciphering the significance of conch shells, which is also believed to be the shape of Puri, hence giving it the common name of Sankha Khetra.

From clay pots to palm leaves and many articles associated with the Jagannath temple and culture, artists are on their way to create huge installations by March 22. Traditional artists are playing their guides in their pursuit.

'The Jagannath culture is full of symbology, and everything in Puri associates with these set of rituals and symbols. All of these acquire significance during Nabakalebar. It is wonderful to discuss and explain these concepts with the contemporary artists,' said Anil Maharana, a traditional artist at the workshop.