Konarak, Orissa
A small town in the district of Puri, Orissa, Konark is situated 65 km from Bhubaneswar, on Bay of Bengal. Among the prominent cities in the state of Orissa, Konark is popular for being the site of the Black Pagoda i.e the Sun Temple, which dates back to 13th century. Built during 1236 AD by King Narasimhadeva-I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, the Konark Sun Temple, draws in numerous tourist every year. Deriving its name from ‘Kona’ that is corner and ‘Arka’, which means Sun, Konark proves to be a perfect holiday destination, with its majestic seashore, heritage sites and serene ambience. Apart from these, that which makes Konark even more popular among the tourists is the notable Konrak Dance Festival that takes place every year. This dance festival of Konark is among the major reasons why Konark is thronged by people in large numbers, every year.
The Konark Dance Festival takes place at the World Heritage Site of Konarak that is the seven hundred year old architectural wonder, the Sun Temple. Beautiful work of sculpture depicting the Odissi dance forms, adorns the Konark Sun Temple. The dancing hall or the Natyamadir of the temple is replete with amazingly beautiful interior. Constructed centuries back, on the Chandrabagha Beach, the Konark Sun Temple stands tall as an evidence for the age old Indian culture of devotion and dance.
Organized at the open air auditorium of the Sun Temple, every year in the month of December and February, the Konark Dance Festival witnesses the amalgamation of celebrated performers, musicians, dancers and artists from all corners of India. The Konark Dance Festival is being organized since 1989 by the joint association of the Orissa Tourism and Odissi Research Centre in order to promote the varied dance heritage of India and also the architectural splendor of the Konark Sun Temple and the tourism of Orissa.
You can take pleasure in the various kinds of Indian dance performances such as Manipuri, Bharathnatyam, Odissi, Kathak and Chau and many more. The dances take place beneath a mandap known as the Natya Mandap. The Dance festival at Konark would take you through an amazing journey of classical extravaganza and eternal ecstasy. The sound of the flute, pakhauj or the Ghungroo along with the captivating ambience, would offer you an unforgettable, magical experience of a life time. The dance festival also serves as a platform for the upcoming talents to showcase their talent.
One of the most fascinating features of the Konark Dance festival is the crafts mela that is arranged by the State Industry Department to facilitate the promotion of Orissa art and crafts. Here you can find various souvenirs, sculptures and other art works of the local craftsmen. Apart from being a source of livelihood for the local craftsmen, the crafts mela also helps in spreading the rich variety of art and craft of the region to other parts of India. Further, the craft fair also draws in numerous people to the Konark dance Festival.
The Konark Festival is organized with great pomp and merry every year. This festival of dance in Konark is organized through the joint efforts of Orissa Dance Academy of the renowned Odissi guru Gangadhar Pradhan and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre in Kolkata. One of the main aims behind organizing this dance festival is to uphold and promote Classical Art of India globally. In the initial years, from 1989-1990, the dance festival took place for three days. Later, however, as the festival reached its summit of glory and success, the days were extended to 5 days.
How to Reach Konarak
Although Konark is not directly connected by air, yet the closest airheads that helps in reaching Konark is the airport at Bhubaneswar, which is a suitable point to enter Konarak. Jet Air, Sahara, Indian Airlines connect Bhubaneshwar to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, Madras and Nagpur.
The best way to reach Konark is by traveling through trains. The closest railheads are Bhubaneshwar and Puri. Almost all the important cities in India are connected to these two railheads by numerous trains.
The extensive network of well maintained roads connects Konark to the whole country. The state and national highways links Konark to Bhubaneshwar, Puri and the various other cities in the state of Orissa, along with the neighbouring states as well. There are regular bus services provided by Orissa State Road Transport Corporation. Private buses also ply in Konark. One can reach Konarak from Puri in just one hour by availing the bus services. Konark can be reached from Bhubaneshwar in 2 to 4 hours approximately. Everyday tour buses also ply from Konark to the cities of Puri and Bhubaneshwar. Private cars and taxis can also be hired.
Contact Details
- Konark Natya Mandap
Arka Vihar, Konark- 752111,
Orissa
Phone: 06758- 236835
- Orissa Tourist Office
Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa,
Paryatan Bhawan,
Near State Museum, Bhubaneswar – 751 014
Ph: +91 674 2432177, Fax: (0674) 2430887
