Konark Festival 2024: Odisha’s vibrant tourism season began its most anticipated chapter today as the 35th edition of Konark Festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi in the presence of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Smt. Pravati Parida by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
The five-day festival is being hosted by Odisha Tourism in collaboration with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi (OSNA) and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
Showcasing India’s Cultural Splendor
The opening evening of the Konark Festival celebrated India’s rich classical dance traditions. The event commenced with an Odissi dance recital by Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar, followed by Kathak performance by Malti Shyam and Group, New Delhi.
The Odissi performance began with a soulful invocation to Lord Jagannath, based on Sri Jagannath Astakam by Adi Shankaracharya. It transitioned into “Bhavranga” and “Shakti,” narrating tales of divine power and the dynamic energy of Lord Shiva embodied in the feminine form of Shakti. The performance was masterfully choreographed by Guru Shri Lingaraj Pradhan and Guru Shri Pankaj Kumar Pradhan and music composed by Dr. Bijay Kumar Jena and Dr. Bijay Kumar Barik.
The evening continued with the Kathak dance recital, Nartan Manjari, performed by Smt. Malti Shyam’s group from New Delhi, celebrating the eternal bond between the divine and the devotee through intricate rhythms and fluid movements. The dance was choreographed by Smt. Malti Shyam.
Notable Attendees
The event was attended by eminent personalities, including MP Jagatsinghpur Shri Bibhu Prasad Tarai, MLA Pipili Shri Ashrit Pattanayak, MLA Satyabadi Shri Om Prakash Mishra, MLA Brahmagiri Smt. Upasana Mahapatra, MLA Kakatpur Shri Tusharkanti Behera, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Tourism Shri Balwant Singh, Director Tourism Shri Samarth Verma, Puri Collector Shri Siddharth Shankar Swain, and SP Puri Shri Vineet Agarwal.
14th International Sand Art Festival
Simultaneously, the 14th International Sand Art Festival transformed the pristine Chandrabhaga Beach into a canvas of creativity. Featuring 129 celebrated sand artists, including 8 international participations from the UK, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Russia, Portugal, Spain, and Sri Lanka, the festival highlighted this year’s thematic masterpieces alongside contributions from national artists representing Odisha and seven other Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. A total of 35 Sand Art Creations were made on the themes of Women Empowerment, Odia Ashmita and World Heritage and Monuments.
Reaching Global Audiences
To ensure greater reach, the Konark Festival is being live streamed across Odisha Tourism’s social media platforms and telecast live on DD Bharati from December 1 to 5. Odisha invites the world to partake in these spectacular celebrations of art, culture, and nature, heralding the tourist season with unmatched grandeur.
