Puri: The 36th edition of Konark Festival, celebrating the country’s classical dance forms, will begin on Monday, concurrently with the International Sand Art Festival, which provides a canvas to global sand artists.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy CM & Tourism Minister Pravati Parida are scheduled to inaugurate the events later in the evening.
The inaugural night will see Odissi and Bharatanatyam performances by Bhubaneswar’s Nrutya Upasana troupe and Hyderabad’s Shankarananda Kalakshetra under Guru Dr. Anand Shekhar Jayant, respectively, at the open-air auditorium overlooking the Sun Temple.
The 15th edition of Sand Art Festival will unfold simultaneously on the picturesque golden sands of Chandrabhaga Beach. This year, 243 artists from 14 Indian states, along with five international participants, are expected to display their talents through 34 stalls, transforming the beach into a lively open-air gallery of stunning sand sculptures.
Adding to the celebrations, the inaugural Subhadra Shakti Mela will also be organised at Chandrabhaga, featuring 200 stalls. Women artisans from Mission Shakti groups and skilled craftsmen from various parts of Odisha will present their exquisite handicrafts and traditional items, providing visitors with a distinctive and enriching cultural shopping experience.
Puri Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida confirmed that all preparations have been completed. He along with Tourism Director Dipankar Mahapatra reviewed arrangements, including lighting, sanitation, traffic, parking, police security, tourist packages, and water supply.
Puri Police have also made extensive security arrangements, including three ticketed gates with metal detectors, perimeter security, and a Quick Response Team (QRT) for VIPs. Crowd and traffic control measures are in place, with CCTV cameras and drones monitoring the event.
The Sun Temple light and sound show will remain closed during these five days to accommodate tourists.
The five-day festival, which is a perfect blend of heritage, rhythm and creativity on Odisha’s coast, is expected to draw visitors from all over India and overseas, further cementing Konark’s status as a premier international cultural destination.
The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has also announced a special package tour for the event with AC buses from Bhubaneswar and Puri to Konark, departing at 2:30 pm and returning by 11 pm. The package tour includes visits to the Konark Sun Temple, Chandrabhaga Beach, and the Sand Art Festival. The cost of the tour is Rs 1,840 per person from Bhubaneswar, Rs 1,700 from Puri, and Rs 2,360 from Cuttack.
