Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna unveiled a replica of Odisha’s iconic Konark Sun Temple wheel at Times Square, New York, on India’s Independence Day. The event attracted a large crowd of Indian-Americans, diplomats, and art enthusiasts. The grand unveiling was attended by Randhir Jaiswal, the Consulate General of India in New York, and representatives from the Indo-American Arts Council. Khanna, who had been planning the event for nearly five years, expressed his excitement and gratitude for the hard work put in by artists from Odisha’s Lalitagitri village. The handcrafted replica, made of sandstone and weighing around 4,000 pounds, is a tribute to India’s rich cultural heritage and symbolizes unity between the Indian Diaspora and America.
The inspiration for this artwork came from the sand Konark wheel sculpted by renowned artist Sudarshan Pattnaik. The replica will be on display until August 22nd, 2023, before finding a permanent place in Khanna’s upcoming NYC restaurant in 2024. The original Konark Sun Temple, built over 12 years by 12,000 artisans, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, characterized by its intricate stone carvings and the chariot-like architecture representing the sun god’s chariot, adorned with 24 wheels and led by seven symbolic horses.
Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna unveiled a replica of Odisha’s iconic Konark Sun Temple wheel at Times Square, New York, on India’s Independence Day. The event attracted a large crowd of Indian-Americans, diplomats, and art enthusiasts. The grand unveiling was attended by Randhir Jaiswal, the Consulate General of India in New York, and representatives from the Indo-American Arts Council. Khanna, who had been planning the event for nearly five years, expressed his excitement and gratitude for the hard work put in by artists from Odisha’s Lalitagitri village. The handcrafted replica, made of sandstone and weighing around 4,000 pounds, is a tribute to India’s rich cultural heritage and symbolizes unity between the Indian Diaspora and America.
The inspiration for this artwork came from the sand Konark wheel sculpted by renowned artist Sudarshan Pattnaik. The replica will be on display until August 22nd, 2023, before finding a permanent place in Khanna’s upcoming NYC restaurant in 2024. The original Konark Sun Temple, built over 12 years by 12,000 artisans, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, characterized by its intricate stone carvings and the chariot-like architecture representing the sun god’s chariot, adorned with 24 wheels and led by seven symbolic horses.
