Magic at Konark

Being a Bharatanatyam dancer, the idea of attending the Konark Dance and Music Festival excited me tremendously. I found abundant information on the internet. Before I knew it, I found myself in Bhuvaneshwar, looking for a cab to take me to Konark. As I sat in the cab, and watched the quaint country side pass by, I thought about what the five day festival would have in store for me. I knew from the illustrious names on the detailed program I had downloaded from the internet, that the performances would be of asuperior caliber. But I wondered what the overall experience would be?

On the first evening of the festival, I walked into Natya Mantap and was taken aback by the stage. The stage is designed after the Natyasala of the Konark Sun Temple. The stage has life size replicas of the statues on the temple walls. As a performer I looked at the stage longingly, wondering how wonderful it would be to dance on such an inspiring stage. My ruminations were broken by the sound of a gong announcing the commencement of the festival.
The opening sequence of the festival was grand, to say the least. It started with the Subha Sankha Dhwani & Mangal Vadya. Extremely young artists danced while playing various instruments like cymbals and drums, conches and gongs. A ceremonial flower arrangement and flames are carried all the way from the back of the audience, on to the stage. This is closely followed by the Panchadeva Stutee. More than fifty Odissi dancers danced in perfect unison invoking blessings. This spectacular opening sequence created a culturally charged festive environment, setting the tone for the rest of the evening.

The format of the evening was well defined. Each evening started with the spectacular Subha Sankha Dhwani & Mangal Vadya and Panchadeva Stutee. This was followed by a musical performance. Then the dance programs of the evening took over. Each evening there was a Odissi performance, one other classical dance form of India and one folk dance. The festival gave Rasikas an opportunity to enjoy a little culture from the length and breath of the country.

The festival was a continuous stream of delightful art. Music lovers were treated to all time favorites like Dr. Balamuralikrishna and Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Dr. Balamuralikrishna presented a composition in his own Raga – Lavanga and a Tillana in Kadanakuthoohala. His performance transported me to a dream world and when he finished it felt like someone had woken me up from a beautiful dream. I did not want his performance to end.


Sujata Mohapatra’s Odissi was enchanting. She presented a piece on the life of Krishna – his victory over Bakasura, Kalinga and Putana. Sujata mastery over the technique and her exquisite Abhinaya created a memorable experience. As I sat under the stars, in the amphitheatre of Natya Mantap and watched her perform, it was easy to imagine the statues on the stage come to life.

Anuj Misra and troop performed Kathak for us. Anuj was really the star of the Kathak show with his lightning fast footwork and chakkars. He executed sixteen chakkars in three different speeds. When he reached the fastest tempo, he did four chakkars in four different directions. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and so did the audience, judging by the constant cheering. Mrs. Vajayanthi Kashi and troop presented Krishnarpanam. Mrs. Kashi, in her role of Putana, writhed in pain, dying slowly, contorting her body and creating a dramatic effect. The Kalaripayattu performance had the entire audience on the edge of their seats with their exhibition of sheer strength and power. The combat, with several deadly instruments like swords, was quite thrilling. As their blades struck each other, sparks flew and the audience gasped and cheered.

But what really stood out for me was the Gotipua performance by kids as young as five. They maintained perfect rhythm, exhibited immense grace and performed gravity defying acrobatics. Their infallible performance bore testament to their dedication. As the night progressed, the magic of the evening was disrupted by people leaving. The thinning audience was disheartening and yet it was expected. After all, the guests had to worry about dinner, stay or return to Bhubaneshwar. There are no restaurants serving dinner after 10 PM, no sufficient hotel rooms and poor connectivity to Bhubaneshwar. As Indians, we take a lot of pride in our culture, but do we do enough to preserve it?


Today as I look at the pictures I took at the festival and recount my experience I have a mixed feelings. My heart swells up with pride at the breadth and depth we have in our art forms. Yet, the image of the Gotipua children, the sincerity in their smiles, the eagerness in their eyes and the remarkable strength in their tiny limbs contrasted with the dismally thin audience also brings me to tears. I clutch to a hope that India shining illuminates Indian arts.