Puri: The 36th Konark Festival and the 15th International Sand Art Festival got off to a colourful start on Monday at the Konark Sun Temple complex, marking the start of a five-day cultural extravaganza.
The annual event, celebrating the country’s classical dance forms, is organised by the state Tourism Department in collaboration with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the festivals as chief guest in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, and a host of other dignitaries.
The inaugural night saw 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.
Odissi was presented by Sonali Mohapatra and artistes of Nrutya Upasana Pitha. The troupe performed “Hanuman Chalisa,” composed by Guru Abhiram Nanda and choreographed by Guru Sonali Mohapatra, followed by “Saranga Pallavi,” a pure dance piece choreographed by Mohapatra with music and rhythm composed by Nirmal Kumar Mohapatra. The artistes concluded with “Chari Juga Devi,” portraying the divine power of Goddess Durga.
The second presentation of the evening featured Bharatanatyam by artistes of Shankarananda Kalakshetra, led by Dr Anand Shankar Jayant. The troupe opened with “Dashavatara,” based on verses by Saint Ramdas, followed by “Devi Upasakam.” They closed with “Shivoham,” an offering to Lord Shiva blending poetry, rhythm and classical structure. The presentation was choreographed by Dr Jayant.
Like previous years, the International Sand Art Festival began simultaneously on Chandrabhaga beach. This year, about 140 Indian sand artists, including 40 women, are participating. Five international artists from Spain, Russia, Japan, Portugal and Sri Lanka have also arrived to create large-scale sculptures on the beach.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated Subhadra Shakti Mela organised on the occasion. He went around different stalls at the fair in which members of over 200 women self-help groups (SHGs) from across the state are participating.
