Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s prime coastal tourism hub of Konark will once again witness a global confluence of arts through the twin annual events of the Konark Festival of classical dance performances with the grand Sun Temple in the backdrop and the International Sand Art Festival.
The 31st edition of the Konark Dance Festival being organised by Odisha Tourism will be held at the Open Air Auditorium with the magnificent Konark Sun Temple from 1st – 5th December 2020, between 6:00 and 8:30 pm. The event showcases the best of India’s traditional and classical dance forms, besides offering interesting insights into the rich cultural heritage of the country. A solitary splendour par excellence, folklore and mythology have created layers of legends shrouding the genesis of this world heritage monument built in the 13th century A.D. Leading exponents and dance enthusiasts of almost all main classical dance forms of India including Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Kuchipudi and Kathak will take part in the five-day classical dance carnival, adding to the appeal of the event that has few parallels elsewhere.
Acclaimed Odissi exponent Padma Shri Aruna Mohanty and her group Orissa Dance Academy will perform on the first day of the festival followed by a performance by Bharatnatyam dancer Sheela Unikrishnan of Sridevi Nrithyalaya, Chennai.
On the other hand, the 9th edition of the International Sand Art Festival with Padma Shri awardee and globally renowned sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik as its brand ambassador and chief curator, will be held coinciding with the Konark Festival, on the pristine Chandrabhaga Beach, three km away from the Sun Temple. The event will span the entire day from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Keeping in view the COVID-19 global pandemic the event will be organised following protocols issued by Government of Odisha and Government of India. The event of 2020 will witness participation of 70 artists from across India.
PNN