Plan Ahead for the Konark Dance Festival, 2008
Posted on July 28, 2008 in Art & Culture by Gitanjali
When you tell someone you are just back from Orissa, the first question, almost involuntary, would be, “So, how did you find the Konark temple”? It is evident that any visit to Orissa is incomplete if one hasn’t had a chance to take in the majestic eloquence of the famous sun temple, built in the 13th century during the reign of the eastern Ganga king Narasimha Deva.
Although a trip to the Konark temple is an experience in itself any day, it offers a feast to the eye in the first week of December every year, when the stage is set for the Konark Dance Festival. This is an art and culture extravaganza not to be missed.
This year, as usual, the Konark Dance Festival is scheduled to take place from the 1st till the 5th of December. As the orange sun sinks into a gradual sleep yonder and tired birds fly back home, the curtain raises at the Konark temple, dedicated to Surya, the sun God, to welcome another festival of grace, music and rhythm. The stage is alight and alive, replete with the festive mood of the evening.
The dance festival, in tribute of the Konark temple, is bascally a celebration of Odissi, Bharathnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chau Dances. The festival is a potential platform for the performing artiste and the dance connoisseurs both. It also comes as a right opportunity for the budding artists who are yet to make their presence felt on the international scale.
A crafts mela is also put up during the festival. Serving a wide array of delectable cuisines and a variety of handicrafts, this mela adds more fun to the festival thus making it a perfect venue for a family get together on a holiday or a joyous experience to the tourists.
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