Puri, Dec 24 (IANS) Santa Claus is usually identified with snow, but artist Sudarsan Patnaik Wednesday claimed to have created the world’s tallest sand replica of Father Christmas on the Puri beach in the state. “The colourful sculpture of Santa Claus that I have created with the help of 15 of my students is 25 feet high - the tallest sand image in the world, so far as I know,” Patnaik told IANS.

“We completed it after 30 hours using about 600 tonnes of sand,” Patnaik said.

Patnaik has also created a sand replica of Jesus Christ near the image of Santa Claus.

Patnaik has participated in more than 37 international sand sculpture championships across the globe and has won many awards.

Patnaik said that the sand sculptures of Jesus Christ and Santa Claus he had created on the same beach last year found mention in the Limca Book of Records.