Konark Dance Festival is a fiesta of classical dance.
It is held from 1st to 5th December every year in the amphitheater. It
is a most exciting dance event of the country. This festival has
acquired a special meaning and significance for the timely efforts it
has made towards the revival, preservation and continuation of unique
temple dance tradition of Orissa and lately by extension of all of
India. The festival nights serve the indispensable purpose of presenting
a face of Indian’s complex culture and offer the audience a
generous feast for their sensibilities. As a tribute to the majestic
monument, famous classical dancers of the nation get together every year
during this dance festival to present live performance. The dance is
performed on the Open Air Auditorium set amidst the natural locations
with the Sun Temple, a World Heritage Monument, at the back drop.
When the sun sets in the horizon and the stars appear in the sky, the
open-air-auditorium is filled up with notes of classical instruments and
rhythmic foot falling of the dancers. This classical music and dance
festival is the celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the
country.
Follow the rainbow across the scintillating sea shore at Konark to the
magnificent portals of a temple. 35 km. to the north-east of Puri lies
the World Heritage Monument, the Sun Temple of Konark. Twelve hundred
craftsmen had toiled hard for 12 long years to erect this monumental
wonder where 12 year's revenue was spent. Modelled after the floating
chariot of the mythical Sun God, the temple is a quintessence of
imaginative craftsmanship of ancient Orissa. The temple architecture was
designed as drawn by twelve exquisitely carved stone wheels and seven
galloping horses. And the kings, queens, generals, foot soldiers, sages,
priests, elephants, horses, courtiers and courtesans depicted on the
walls and the panels with finesse open a window to the nostalgic times
of medieval Orissa.
The annual Konark Dance Festival, which is held in an open air
auditorium with the temple as the backdrop, showcases a magical parade
of India's classical and traditional dance forms. Eminent dancers and
their troupe delight visitors in the wintry evening of early December
with dramatic choreographies.
Besides, the dance performances the visitors will be treated, in an
Artist Camp, to an exhibition of Orissan temple sculptures which are
often described as poetry transcribed on stone. Sand Art exhibition will
be yet another attraction for tourists. It is a festival of classical
dances of India performed at the backdrop of the Sun Temple, Konark.
Konark Dance Festival was organised for the first time in 1989 in the
Open Air Auditorium at Konark constructed with the financial assistance
of Government of India. Conceived as a festival of Classical Dances of
India, the objective of Konark Festival was to promote Konark as well as
Orissa as place of tourist destination.
Initially during the year 1989 and 1990, the festival was being
organised for a period of 3 days. Subsequently increased to 7 days
during 1991 and 1992 in different dates. Since 1993 the festival is
being organised for a period of 5 days from December 1 -5 every year.
The festival was however not organised during 1999 due to the Super
Cyclone. A Craft Mela was also being organised from 1991 -1995 through
the State Industry Department along with the dance programmes. This was
discontinued for a couple of years which has again been revived from the
year - 2000. While the Craft Mela of 2000 was organised by NAC, Konark,
the same has been organised by State Industry Department since 2001.
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