Navagunjara Reborn: The Phoenix of Odisha

Burning Man 2025 Honoraria Arts Grant

Guided by Burning Man’s Ten Principles, this is a multi-author project led by craft communities, and a coalition of engineers, designers, and Burning Man participants.

A sculptural installation merging the Navagunjara and the Phoenix—two ancient mythical creatures from vastly different cultures. This piece stands as a beacon of resilience and unity, symbolic of eternal truth and rebirth, expressed through the medium of Odisha's rich artistic traditions.

The Phoenix has been prevalent in popular culture for time immemorial, rising from the ashes into our collective consciousness ever so often. The Navagunjara on the other hand, is a less familiar beast. Composed of nine different animals, this avatar of Vishnu represents the truth as multifaceted - with infinite possible perceptions. The fusion of these two mythical beings celebrates the resilience of tradition, the beauty of transformation, and the power of unity in diversity.

Odisha Crafts Artists

Malli Mani Nayak, Purnima Nayak, Pankajini Nayak, Arsu Marandi, Geeta Nayak (sabai grass neck, rooster head),

Jayanti Nayak, Gowri Mahapatra, Minu Nayak, Bina Pani Patra , Basamati Nayak (sabai elephant leg),

Rajesh Moharana (metal wireframe for dhokra craft arm, leg, and tail),

Ekadasi Barik (cane-wood torso, hump, and leg),

Akshaya Bariki (pattachitra painting),

Jagabandhu Panika (Kotpad textile),

Purnachandra Ghose (Pipli),

Kotuli Sitaka (Kapdaganda textile),

Adibari Sisha (Ringa textile)

In the spirit of the Phoenix, "Navagunjara Reborn" is being designed with interactive flame effects, inviting participants to honor their own personal journeys of rebirth, immersed in the ancient arts of Odisha.

Explore the Navagunjara 3D model with our open-source web application: https://deepgis.org/label/3d/

This art installation is being built with support from both non-profit and for-profit collaborators, but no commercial use is intended.

All efforts honor the Burning Man Ten Principles, especially Decommodification and Communal Effort.

Acknowledgements

Sashi Wapang

Ashwin Bhatnagar

Kalyan Varma

Christina Allen

Mark Dill

Christopher Furst

Saurav Kumar

Christopher Skiba

Shane Till