"Local architecture, once heavily shaped by Western influences, is now returning to its roots—with elements like jaalis, lime plaster, stone, and ironwork re-emerging in landmark projects. A striking example is Krushi Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, the five-year-old office building for the state agriculture department and a flagship initiative of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik."

The building showcases a bold regional identity: over 100 artisans from Odisha brought agricultural folklore and local mythology to life through dhokra-style light fixtures, pattachitra-inspired carvings on laterite walls, and a brick façade echoing ikat textile patterns. “We didn’t know we could do anything different,” reflects Sesha, one of the craftspeople, in a promotional video. “Earlier, we only carved temples. This project showed us our skills had wider applications in architecture.”