Konark: The 36th edition of the five-day-long Konark Festival at the Sun Temple’s open air auditorium concluded with a high note at here in Puri on Friday.Spellbinding Odissi and Kathak dance performances charged the atmosphere with energy, leaving art lovers completely mesmerised.
The concluding evening was inaugurated by Odisha governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, his wife Dr. Jayashree Kambhampati, Minister of Tourism Smt. Pravati Parida, and Secretary Tourism Balwant Singh, who jointly lit the ceremonial lamp, marking the commencement of the finale showcase.
In the first segment, Arati Kar and Group from Utkal Dance and Research Academy, Bhubaneswar, took centre stage with two compelling performances. They commenced their recital with ‘Tri Pathaga’, depicting the sacred Ganga and its divine flow through the three worlds, showcased the river’s spiritual significance.
They followed it up with ‘Niyati’, a portrayal of destiny’s power and its role in shaping every being’s journey. Both pieces, choreographed by Guru Ramesh Chandra Jena, Guru Arati Kar & Guru Yudhisthir Nayak, with music composed by Guru Umesh Chandra Das and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, instantly struck a chord with the viewers.
The second half of the evening saw a dynamic shift in rhythm as Sanjukta Sinha & Group of the Sanjukta Sinha Dance Company, Ahmedabad presented ‘Adi Anant’ and ‘Leela’. ‘Adi Anant’ explored the divine energies of Shiva and Krishna, blending the Jaipur and Lucknow gharanas to create a dialogue of rhythm, grace, and spiritual depth. ‘Leela’ brought alive Krishna’s joyous and playful essence, where devotion meets ecstasy.
Together, the two pieces traced a spiritual arc, from Shiva’s infinite stillness to Krishna’s divine play, showcasing at its expressive best.
Meanwhile, at Chandrabhaga Beach, the venue of the 15th International Sand Art Festival, sand artists who demonstrated their exceptional creations for the last five days were honoured. On the closing day, the male and female sand artists crafted visually striking sand sculptures on the theme of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Bharat’ respectively, prompting the visitors to stop for some moments to have a look at the works. Some visitors were seen capturing the sculptures on their mobile phones while some others were spotted taking selfies with the sand arts.
The evening also saw the announcement of the Konark Sand Art Awards across three categories. The recipients under the National Category (Other than Odisha) were Panchanan Mondal (West Bengal), R. Samuel Selva Durai (Tamil Nadu), Valluvan D. (Tamil Nadu) and Gubendhiran K. (Puducherry), while the awardees under the State Female Category were Prity Ghosh (West Bengal), Sarswati Angriya (Jharkhand), Nibedita Mishra (Puri), Diptimayee Pradhan (Puri) and Barsarani Ojha (Puri). Similarly, the State Male Category winners were Santosh Kumar Nayak (Puri), Pramod Biswal (Puri), Maheswar Sahu (Ganjam) and Rakesh Sanna (Puri), recognising their remarkable contributions to sand art at this year’s festival.
The anchors of the evening were Dr Mrutyunjay Rath and Dr Nazia Alam.
These recognitions capped off a festival that once again put Konark on the cultural map, celebrating the fusion of tradition, creativity, and artistic excellence.
