Artist to create Gandhi's biggest portrait with 30 different sands

For artist Babu Edakkunni, sand is his paint and his fingers his brush. On Thursday evening, the Kerala-based artist began work on what he claims will be the biggest sand portrait of Mahatma Gandhi ever created. Manoj Sharma reports.

For artist Babu Edakkunni, sand is his paint and his fingers his brush. On Thursday evening, the Kerala-based artist began work on what he claims will be the biggest sand portrait of Mahatma Gandhi ever created.

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He will finish the portrait measuring 30 ft x 24 ft on October 2, a day observed as Gandhi Jayanti. The event titled ‘Gandiji Resurrects' was inaugurated by civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi at India Gate on Thursday.

"I have collected 30 types of sands from over a dozen places from across the globe that were closely associated with Gandhiji. The idea behind this portrait was to promote his message of love and peace," said the 45-year -old artist as he began work on the unique portrait of Gandhi in the backdrop of the India Gate.

Among the places the artist has collected sands from are Porbandar, Delhi, Kerala, South Africa and the UK.

"I conceived the project in October last year and it took me over a year to collect the sands. The whole portrait will be eco-friendly; I will not be using any artificial colour," said Edakkunni.

He hopes his portrait of ‘The Father of the Nation' will be considered for an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2004, Edakkunni had created a sand portrait of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, which he presented to him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.