Silent sculptures connect with soul

The sculpture park in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, July 14: From wax to wane and in between moon-watching is a favourite pastime for many. When the lunar shapes are sculpted in stone, the aesthetic pleasure derived is quite different, but no less mesmerising.

At Sculpture Park, located on the KIIT premises, the phases of the moon and various other sculptures urge the viewer to look inward. Gazing at the rock sculptures, one tends to forget the complexities of city life.

Created by well-known sculptor Adwaita Gadanayak, these huge, mute rock sculptures speak volumes. The entrance itself, for instance, speaks to the visitors, telling them that they are being watched by the rock creations.

After passing through the entrance — called The Witness — one comes upon the next sculpture that speaks of the start of the journey towards the soul, which constantly spins within us like a whirlpool.

According to the sculptor, it is a trip to the abode of eternal energy. “I have always believed that rocks have life. They are storehouses of immense energy and tell the story of evolution. They are mute spectators to events that unfold around them,” he says.

Gadanayak says that the themes in the 25 installations of rock that stand as a symbol of man’s spirituality in the sculpture garden are his tribute to nature. They are also his homage to sculptors of ancient India. “Look at Konark temple or at the Ajanta-Ellora caves or any sculpture from the past. All of them direct us towards the supreme energy that has created us and is looking after us,” says Gadanayak.

“There were social issues even then but that did not limit art to just worldly matters. The artists always created something that take us away from problems to a world of inner peace,” he says.

His thoughts are aptly reflected in his installations in this a year-and-a-half old park. But Gadanayak has wonderfully presented these traditional ideas in contemporary form.

The installation called The Dialectic depicts a rock carved in the form of lightning. Lightning contains all forms of energy — air, water, light, fire and sound.

The concept of soul and samadhi seem to emerge directly from the Bhagvad Gita. Soul depicts how the body is a garment that the soul leaves for a new body. Samadhi, on the other hand, with its brilliant lighting effects, captures the moment of trance during meditation.

Some of these sculptures have been amazingly balanced at their tips. The rocks used for the sculptures have been collected from various parts of the state.

“We found these rocks in Nayagarh, Titlagarh, Koraput and at places in the vicinity of Lalitgiri. I have travelled all around the world and seen as well as created sculptures. But never have I seen such rich variety of colour and texture in rocks like the ones found here,” says Gadanayak.

“I really like it when the visitors touch and feel the sculptures. That is nothing but the magnetic energy in these rocks,” he explains. With his team of 15 assistant sculptors, Gadanayak plans to grow the number of installations to 60 at this one-of-a-kind sculpture garden located in the KIIT premises.

“It’s wonderful to have such an amazing park full of beautiful sculptures within our campus. My friends and I take a stroll around it quite often and it feels so peaceful,’’ says Sagar, a first year engineering student of KIIT.