Santa in sand, courtesy Odisha artist

Puri : Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a 35-ft-high sand image of a huge Santa Claus on a beach here on the occasion of Christmas and he is hoping to create a record with it.

He created it with the help of students at his Sand Art Institute and about 100 labourers. Pattnaik said they worked almost 12 hours a day since Dec 22 and completed the sculpture Dec 24 evening.

Pattnaik and all his co-artists were dressed-up in Santa Claus costumes while doing the sculpture. “We have created Santa Claus a number of times in the past. But the latest one is the biggest of all,” Pattnaik told IANS Sunday.

The artists have also created a sand sculpture of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary. The sculpture bears a message — “Peace and Prosperity, Health and Happiness”.

He said the sand Santa created on the beach follows all the guidelines prescribed by officials of the Limca Book of Records.

“We hope this sculpture will be included in the upcoming edition of the Limca Book of Records,” said Pattnaik, who has created several world records in the past for his sand sculpture.