If you’re staying near Pereybere beach in the north of Mauritius, don’t be surprised if you spot a mermaid, an angel, or a character from Star Wars lying silently on the shore – made entirely of sand.

Despite knowing that his artistic efforts will last no more than three or four days, Sanjay Jhowry visits this beach every week to practise the art of sand sculpting, as a way of expressing himself artistically and giving life to the world of his imagination. Piling damp sand, and sometimes working from prior sketches, Sanjay uses his hands and basic tools to bring his creative visions into three dimensional form, before they’re washed away by the ocean or dried out by the heat of the sun.

Read more about Sanjay’s work and process in Beachcomber Magazine’s recent feature Shifting Sands.

Photo: Sanjay Jhowry