Sand chariots on Puri beach by Sudarshan

The chariots- 10 inch high and 6 inch width - are made with one kg sand each. "The smallest chariots are dedicated to Poet Balaram Das," Patnaik said adding that Das was considered as the father of sand art.

Poet Balaram Das, also the author of Dandi Ramayan, was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. Das, according to mythology, was insulated by the priests and denied permission to climb on the chariots. Frustrated and humiliated, the poet came to the sea beach (Mahodadhi) and carved the statues of Lord Jagannath , Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the Golden sand. Then, there he started praying and worshipping these statues.

"His devotion was so strong and deep that the original statues vanished from the chariot and appeared at that place where Balaram das was worshipping," Patnaik said quoting legends. Patnaik said he created the small chariots as a mark of respect to Balaram Das.

Sudarsan has created many big sand sculptures which have found a place in Limca book of records and also many sand sculptures of chariots and Lord Jagannath but this time he had created the "smallest" sand chariots. He said he waas hopeful that these chariots will certainly get a place in Limca book of records.