Odisha sand

1. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik virtually inaugurated the Tourism department’s flagship events, the Konark festival, and the international sand art festival.
2. The Konark festival showcases India’s cultural depth through classical dance forms.
3. Held at the 13th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Konark festival aims to promote and celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage.

Bhubaneswar, Dec 02: The Odisha Tourism department’s flagship events, the Konark festival and the international sand art festival, were virtually inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Konark and the Konark festival’s inaugural evening featured an Odissi performance by Jyotsnarani Sahoo and a Bharatnatyam recital by Praveen Kumar, showcasing India’s cultural depth through classical dance forms.

The Konark festival, held at the 13th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site, began with an Odissi performance by Cuttack-based dancer Jyotsnarani Sahoo and her troupe from Soor Mandir. This was followed by a Bharatnatyam recital by Bengaluru-based artist Praveen Kumar and his group from Chitrakala.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed everyone to the open-air auditorium with the Sun Temple as a grand backdrop. The festival aims to showcase the beauty of Odissi and other Indian classical dance forms by artists from India and around the world.

Simultaneously, the international sand art festival on Chandrabhaga beach features 114 sand sculptors from India and abroad, including six international artists from Australia, Czech Republic, Russia, Belarus, the USA, and Sri Lanka. They will create sand sculptures on various themes, continuing until December 5. The event witnessed the presence of director (Tourism) Sachin R Jadhav, sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik, and OTDC chairman Lenin Mohanty.

Apart from the festivals, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the fifth edition of Eco Retreat at three more locations in the state. The Eco Retreat initiative aims to promote eco-friendly tourism in Odisha.

The inaugural show of the Konark festival showcased Odissi dance recitals by Soor Mandir – Jyotsnarani Sahoo & Group, Cuttack.

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The performance included Odissi dances on NAAD NINAAD and SARANAM, emphasizing the power of surrendering to the Lord. Following that, Bharatnatyam performances named JATHISWARAM, SHIVANJALI & THILLANA were presented by Praveen Kumar and his group from Chithkala School of Academy, Bengaluru.

The International Sand Art Festival 2023 featured 114 renowned sand artists creating thematic sand art on Chandrabhaga Beach. The event attracted artists from various countries, contributing to the vibrant sand art scene.

To reach a wider audience, the live streaming of the dance festival was made available on Odisha Tourism’s social media handles and broadcast live on DD Bharati from December 1 to December 5. This initiative aimed to enhance the visibility and accessibility of the festivals.

Various dignitaries, including Hon’ble MP Jagatsinghpur Dr. Rajashree Mallick, Chairman OTDC Dr. Lenin Mohanty, Director Tourism Shri Sachin R. Jadhav, Advisor BNTYY Shri Durga Prasad Samantray attended the festivals. They noted Sand Artist Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik, among other government officials.