Konark Dance and International Sand Art Festival is about the only reason you need to be in Odisha

Where will you be when the festival begins on December 1?

Photograph courtesy: PL Tandon/Creative Commons

Home to the Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Konark is a beautiful town in the eastern state of Odisha that hosts one of the most famous dance festivals in the country as well as a sand art festival.

The Konark Festival which is set against the backdrop of the Sun Temple at an open air auditorium called Natya Mandir will be held this year from from December 1 to December 5. During the festival, Konark is expected to be crowded by tourists and dance lovers from across the globe. The festival will showcase performances in Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odisi, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kucchipudi and many more dance forms.

There will also be a craft mela that will display handicrafts by the local craftsmen. The Odisha Tourism Development Cell and Odisha Research Center started the festival in 1989 to boost tourism in Konark along with preserving and increasing the reach of Indian folk dance forms.

2015 marks the Silver Jubilee of the festival at this 13th century architectural monument and some of the renowned performers include  Jatin Goswami, Vyjayanthi Kashi and Rajashree Shirke among others. The entry fee for the dance festival is Rs 100 and the passes can be purchased at the venue.

Photograph courtesy: PL Tandon/Creative Commons

Along with the Konark Festival, the OTDC has also arranged the International Sand Art Festical at the Chandrabhaga Beach. The sand art festival coincides with the Konark Dance Festival so that visitors can witness both these brilliant showcases of art. Padma Sri Sudarshan Pattnaik, the world renowned sand sculptor is the ambassador of the ISAF.

There will be 35 stalls, five out of which will be for international artistes from USA, Africa, Columbia, Spain and New Zealand. 30 stalls will be for national artistes that include women and differently-abled artists too. The cut-throat competition between participants is definitely a sight to watch. The sand festival is free for spectators. OTDC has package deals for tourists to make their stay a lot more convenient. You can opt for a package for both the festivals together along with accommodation, travel and sightseeing.