34th Konark Festival Ends With Mesmerising Odissi and Kathak Performance

Konark: The 34th Konark Festival 2023 has concluded with some mesmerising performances of Odissi and Kathak dancers yesterday. The first half of the show saw Kumkum Mohanty and Group from Geeta Govinda Charitable Trust, Bhubaneswar. The troupe performed Abhinaya – Maa Bhavani which depicted Maa Bhavani as the destroyer of demons “Shumba Nishumba” and how her power extended to save Lord Shiva’s powerful meditation by destroying the Mahishasura, the Doyen the Devils, in one of the Hindu pantheons. Mancha Pooja, Pallavi in Raag Hansadheani, and Abhinaya Maa Bhabani are three Abhinaya pieces composed by late Pandit Bhubaneswar Misra and Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra. The last sequence Abhinaya – an episode from the Ramayana epic “Bichitra Ramayana” was written by Biswanath Khunita.

The second set of performances saw Luna Poddar & Group of Prerna Centre of Performing Arts, Kolkata performing three Odissi dance recitals of SURYA JYOTI, DARBARI and RANG BASANT choreographed by Guru Luna Poddar. Surya Jyoti is a Vandana dedicated to Lord Surya, symbolizing the seven colours of the rainbow and the seven chakras in the body. Raag Darbari Kanada is a choreographic piece that transports audiences back to India’s royal courts, showcasing Kathak dance’s intricate elements and Rang Basant was an artistic piece inspired by Padma Bibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj ji’s Perennial Poetry. Set around the Teentaal Vilambit Madhya and Druthlaya time cycles, the piece celebrated nature and emotion, flowing like color, river, time, seasons, and life.

During the finale of the 13th International Sand Art Festival being held in Chandrabhaga beach, sand artists participating in the festival for the past five days were felicitated for showcasing the best of this unique artform at the Konark Festival. The theme of the day was “Wonders of the World for the international artists, Monuments of India for participating states, Temples of Odisha and Manabasa Gurubara” for participants from Odisha based on which captivating sand sculptures were created.

General Manager, East Coast Railway Manoj Sharma, OTDC Chairman Dr. Lenin Mohanty, Former Bureaucrat Ashok Tripathy, Chairperson Konark NAC Sanjukta Tripathy and President OSNA Guru Aruna Mohanty inaugurated the evening show by lighting the ceremonial lamp.