Konark Temple

There is no way you won’t be impressed by the visual splendour of the Konark Temple of Orissa! Declared a World Heritage Site, the beautiful Konark Temple of Orissa is home to the Konark Festivals, which have been entertaining the people since a long time. The Konark Festivals mainly constitute the Konark Festival organized by Orissa Tourism since 1989, and the Konark Dance & Music Festival started by Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan in 1986.

The Konark Dance & Music Festival

The Konark Dance & Music Festival is essentially a dance and music festival which is hosted at the Konark Natya Mandap. This is a dancing hall in the Konark Temple of Orissa which showcases sculptures displaying various poses of Odissi dance form. Held in February every year, the Konark Dance & Music Festival brings together the best talent in the country and even abroad. The Konark Festivals invite many celebrated classical dancers and musicians of India and throughout the world to perform in front of a huge gathering in an open-air auditorium at Konark Temple of Orissa.

The Konark Festival

The Konark Festival is celebrated in December every year at the same open-air auditorium at Konark Temple of Orissa. A part of the famous Konark Festivals, this too provides a platform for various artists of the world to display their talent. Along with many classical dance forms, the viewers of the Konark Festivals can also enjoy a crafts fair which includes the exhibition of various temple sculptures and sand art. The Konark Festivals are jointly hosted by Orissa Tourism and Odissi Research Centre.

The Konark Festivals are a feast for the eyes. The entire temple is flood-lit and the classical music fills the air creating a glorious atmosphere. Many dance forms including Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chau can be enjoyed with many well-known artistes getting together at the Konark Festivals. Even new artistes are allowed to perform on this platform at Konark Temple of Orissa, to win the hearts of the dance and music enthusiasts. The Konark Festivals are dedicated to the celebration of the rich culture and tradition of India.