Konark Festival (1st - 5th December 2012)
Follow the rainbow across the scintillating sea shore at Konark to the magnificent portals of a temple.
Thirty five 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
Odisha. 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
Odisha.
The
Annual Konark Festival, which is held in an Open Air Auditorium with
the temple as the backdrop, showcase 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 are treated in an
Artist Camp to an exhibition of
Odishan temple sculptures which are often described as poetry
transcribed on stone. Sand Art exhibition is also another attraction for
tourists.
It is a festival of classical dances of India performed at the backdrop of the Sun Temple, Konark.
Konark
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. The festival is being organised for a period of 5
days i.e. from December 1-5 every year.
Conceived as a festival of Classical Dances of India, the
objective of Konark Festival is to promote Konark as well as
Odisha as place of tourist destination.
APPROACH
Konark is connected by excellent
all-weather roads with Puri (35 kms) and Bhubaneswar (65 kms) which are
also nearest Railheads. Nearest Airport is Biju Pattanaik Airport,
Bhubaneswar.
Local Transport
All types of tourist cabs are available from Bhubaneswar and
Puri. Further tourist luxury coaches are being operated by
Odisha Tourism Development Corporation.