At sculptor Saroj Kumar Rout’s studio at Pokhariput in Bhubaneswar, mythology and contemporary stories share equal space. There is a minutely-carved terracotta chariot. A set of ceramic pots in interesting shapes. Clay paintings of wildlife. The eclectic nature of the studio is an exhibition of his craftsmanship in styles, textures, materials, colours and themes. Rout, known for his life-size ceramics and terracotta sculptures, is currently working on a series on ‘Jagannath Culture’ that translates episodes from Ratha Yatra into terracotta.
Each true artist is a teller of stories and a charioteer of narratives. Inside Rout’s studio lingers the earthy fragrance of wet clay. He is at a potter’s wheel, giving shapes to objects that are stories in themselves. “I’m making smaller replicas of the chariots of the Holy Trinity—Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra. I plan to recreate the entire ‘Bada Danda’ (Grand Road) showing the Jagannath Temple with three chariots parked outside the Lions Gate.” The ‘Bada Danda’ for strangers to Odisha’s culture is a road on which the three deities ride to their divine aunt’s place.
Though terracotta’s etymology is Latin—terra (earth) and cocta (baked). Archaeologists also found female figurines in Mohenjo-daro from the 3,000 BC-1,000 BC. Ancient Indus Valley sculptors used oven-fired clay to make life-size figures. Rout is a worthy heir. His affair with clay began early; over two decades ago. Now 39, he uses a special variety of clay, which is refined multiple times to improve elasticity and get variations in textures. With distinct shades such as copper sulphate, shamrock green and hints of red, he is determined to show that terracotta hues are as beautiful as other colours.
Rout is, like many of his fellow men, consumed by the glory of Lord Jagannath. He recently completed Nabakalebara Nandighosa Ratha Yatra—an intricately designed but small sculpture that shows the rituals related to the ‘Nabakalebara’ (a symbolic recreation of the Trinity). This is the third in Rout’s series on Jagannath Culture. First came a three-foot tall replica of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot that fetched him the State Award from the Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi in 2017.
Last year, he created another masterpiece—the wheel of a Ratha Yatra chariot. “I depicted all the 32 besha (costumes) of Lord Jagannath in a seven-foot high sculpture,” he proclaims proudly. But an early exhibition in 2013—40 works in a show titled ‘Clay Life’ showed his artistic dexterity, departing from the Jagannath ouvre. The show was a commentary on contemporary artists’ obsession with Nature versus urban forces.
Rout hails from Kendrapara district and works as a supervisor at the Rashtriya Lalit Kala Akademi in Bhubaneswar. The man who mourns that his medium does not get the recognition it receives abroad is happy about one thing—the Akademi where he works has a good terracotta workshop. Even the best artist is a work in progress.