Bhubaneswar, July 6: Women artists have poured their love for Lord Jagannath on canvas at the Sree Gundicha national-level art camp that began today in the city.
Hosted by the Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi at the Pantha Nivas under the aegis of the state culture department, the three-day camp features young Odia women artists who have settled in and outside the state.
Thirty artists from different parts of the country and even abroad have taken part in the camp. Their love for Lord Jagannath and respect for the traditions of the Puri temple have got reflected on the canvas. Jayshree Jena has drawn the holy neem log that has been used to make Lord Jagannath. She has created an eye of the deity on one end of the wood with auspicious symbols on it such as owls sitting on the log.
Juhi Das Mohapatra's artwork shows abstract forms of female devotees invoking Jagannath. She has chosen a striking range of shades on her palette.
Sarita Acharya has portrayed a deity within a tree with the three chariots in the backdrop.
Sasmirekha's painting is simple yet captivating for she has given contemporary effect to her traditional art wherein she showcases a woman holding the Jagannath idol with motherly affection.
"The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is known as the Gundicha Yatra. This is to pay tributes to queen Gundicha who was a devotee but had maternal love for the deities and so they visit her annually. Women have played an important role in Jagannath culture be it Lalita from the Nilamadhab legend, queen Gundicha or the Mahari devadasis," said Sasmirekha.
Artists at the camp have come from Delhi, Pune and even Dubai. "Those who had studied art in state-run colleges have been invited for the event and they have come here from all over India," said Jyotirmayee Mohanty, a co-ordinator for the camp.
The artworks will be exhibited on Wednesday during the valedictory function when the artists will also be felicitated, said secretary of the Akademi, Tarakant Parida.
The camp has been organised as part of state government's celebration of Nabakalebar.
