BHUBANESWAR, India – (September 3, 2015) — Christie® technologies have enabled history to come alive on the dome of the magnificent Dhauli Peace Pagoda through a captivating light show depicting the ancient Kalinga War and subsequent conversion of Mauryan King Ashoka to Buddhism.
The Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) commissioned the 35-minute projection mapping show, which opened in August and plays nightly at 7:00 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. The show was conceptualized and is presented by Christie India’s partner Tricolor India Schauspiel at this prestigious white peace pagoda also known as Dhauli Shanti Stupa, built in the 1970s. The performance recounts the Kalinga War, a bitter battle fought between King Ashoka and the then ruler of Kalinga on the banks of the Daya River in Dhauli circa 261 B.C. Although King Ashoka won the war, his victory was almost like a defeat considering the large number of lives lost. This revelation inspired him to shun violence and convert to Buddhism to spread the message of peace.
Bright and beautiful visuals recounting the great battle – and consequent transformation of King Ashoka into a peace-loving ruler who served his subjects well – are shown using four Christie Roadster S+22K-J 3DLP® projectors. Installed in custom-built towers in front of the monument, the projectors are stacked on top of each other and project onto a surface area measuring about 700 square meters. This is the first permanent projection mapping installation using Christie projectors in the state of Odisha.
Himanshu Sabharwal, creative director of Tricolor India Schauspiel, commented: “It took us six months to implement this show from start to finish. What made this project different from our previous installations was that we engaged an artist to paint the monument. The entire process was recorded and projected back onto the monument, allowing the audience to experience the colorful visuals as if they are being painted live. We also used a lot of real 3D imagery to transform the monument, making the show bright and impressive.”
Sabharwal said the production team has always wanted to use Christie projectors to deliver the visuals for this show.
“We have chosen to deploy the Roadster S+22K-Js because of their unmatched brightness and robustness for an outdoor install like this,” said Sabharwal. “I’m proud of the installation and the results because our artistic experiment of live painting came out really well and we have been able to effectively engage the audience with the mesmerizing story of King Ashoka. The show is very much appreciated by our client – the Chief Minister of the state of Odisha – as well as the general public who have been visiting the monument for daily shows.”
According to Sabharwal, the biggest challenge during the installation was positioning the projectors. Faced with limited space in front of the Dhauli Peace Pagoda, the Tricolor India team constructed customized towers equipped with hydraulic pan-and-tilt capabilities so that the projectors that are installed inside can be positioned and calibrated accurately.
