This 19-yr-old makes splendid miniature crafts using matchsticks

Creativity has no limits. And Puri-based miniature artist Saswat Ranjan Sahoo has proved it. Saswat is quite famous for creating breathtaking crafts from matchsticks.  Being an artist he continues to explore the possibilities of the miniature. 

No doubt, everyone gets attracted towards artworks but a few are attracted to the challenges and limitations of a process that requires extreme concentration, creativity, and patience. Swasat has literally proven the same with his extraordinary works of art made from run-of-the-mill items. 

Take for example the magnificent artworks created by Saswat with just matchsticks, which include replica of ICC T20 World Cup trophy, Junior Hockey World Cup trophy, Ayodhya Ram Mandir, three miniature model of chariots of Lord Balabhadra ,Lord Subhadra and Lord Jagannath, Panasonic Radio and  model of T 90 Bhishma Indian army tank. 

Upon being asked when he started doing such crafts, the teenager said, “I was literally bored during the lockdown and took to art to keep myself occupied. Thus, I started making miniature crafts to make best use of my time. We have seen sculptures made from plastic, fabric and several other objects. But not many people have attempted to do something using matchsticks. I spent my lockdown time to become an artist and started creating unique sculptures with matchsticks.”

“One day during a power-cut, the idea of making crafts with matchsticks struck me. I lit a lamp with a matchstick and began arranging the rest in a pattern. This made me think to create something out of the matchsticks," told Saswat who is a Plus 3 second year student of Bhakta Manein Smruti Degree Mahavidyalaya.

However, Saswat was even mocked by people initially for his endeavour. “Most of the shopkeepers would laugh at me and ask me why I needed so many matchboxes at one go. I never took them seriously.  Being a self-taught artist, I did lots of experimentation before coming up with brilliant crafts. To my utter surprise, my artefacts got popular among art lovers and I got noticed.”

About his very first craft which made him popular, Saswat said, “During lockdown devotees were banned from visiting temple. Jagannath devotees, in particular, were very unhappy with it.  So, I thought of making Lord Jagannath’s idol with matchsticks. I made Lord Jagannath idol using 7,881 matchsticks. It was of 15 inch width and 17 inch length. It took 21 days to come up with Lord Jagannath idol.”

He had created Lord Balabhadra’s chariot ‘Taladwaja’ by using 10,220 matchsticks in just 11 days. Besides, his other creations include Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Army Tank, Shiva Linga, Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath, 1870 model of a penny-farthing bicycle, Olympic Logo and Rakhi.

Swasat presented his Army tank to Vice General of Army Chandiprasad Mohanty during the latter’s visit to Jagannath temple and Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath to the Governor of Odisha Ganeshi Lal. 

He uses hundreds and thousands of matchsticks scrupulously to create such amazing pieces that are sure to impress lovers of art and design.

Saswat had created three miniatures chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra with matchsticks. These chariots were made with 4,830 matchsticks and he took 18 days to complete.

Swasat

About his other creations, Saswat said, “I had prepared an Olympic logo by using 930 matchsticks which took me one day to prepare this craft. I had done it ahead of commencement of Olympics. Besides, I had created a Rakhi by using matchsticks on the occasion of Rakhi Purnima last year. It took me 10 hours to make it and 1,550 matchsticks were used for the purpose and Lord Balabhadra’s face has been used in the middle of the Rakhi.” 

On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, Swasat had also come up with a penny farthing bicycle using 3,653 matchsticks. Swasat took seven says to prepare this craftwork which is 50 inch length and 25 inch width.

“The penny farthing bicycle was extensively used between 1870 and 1880. Now-a-days people have stopped using bicycle. I had prepared this craftwork to raise awareness about bicycle use to reduce environmental pollution. I requested everyone to use bicycle and stay healthy.”