Click to play videoRaghurajpur: The Jagannath rath yatra will begin in Puri on Monday but only a few kilometers away from the temple town, one village is busy with preparations of its own.
For over two weeks now, artisans in Raghurajpur have been putting last minute tweaks to the chariots of the gods. And in this village, art is life and the evidence is there for all to see.
“As soon as a child is born in this village, he becomes an artisan. Art runs in his blood,” an artisan Avkash Nayak said.
Nayak has been an artisan since the age of six. For generations, families like his have produced works of art around the rath yatra.
From palm leaves to tusser, papier mache and stone carving, Raghorajpur is almost an industry by itself and their best season to showcase their talent is now.
“Rath yatra keeps us busy through the year. We await the festival eagerly,” another artisan Ravindra Mahapatra said.
The National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage has given Raghurajpur the status of a heritage crafts village. The idea is to make it a model for rural tourism, and give an incentive to younger artists to carry on their ancient art forms.
(With inputs from Amiya Pani)
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