Toshali Sands

Konark Festival

Described as a poem is stone, and unique among India’s abudant architectural glories, the sun temple at Konark was an important past at the time of the locating Kalinga Kingdom (13th century A.D.) the stone chariot of the Sun God was a landmark on the Orissa coast.

The Sun Temple (also popularly known as the ‘Black Pagoda’) drawn by seven exquisitely caved houses a world heritage monuments. As a filling tribute to the majestic monument, eminent classical dances of India get together every year at the Konark festival from 1st to 5th December to present live performances. The festival is jointly organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa and Odissi Research Centre. A lost of celebrated classical dances perform and fill the air with the round of Ghungroo bells, flute, Pakhavaj and other instruments. Some of the best dancers in the country come to perform amidst, the splendour of this ancient moument. At this festival, the connoisseur is able to enjoy and appreciate different Indian classical dance form at a single venue Legendary figures from the world of Indian classical dance who have participated in the festival over the years are:

Guru Kelucharna Mohaptar
Late Smt. Sanjuka Panigarhi
Dr. Sonal Mansingh
Smt. Padma Subramaniam
Smt. Meenakshi Seshadri
Smt. Swapna Sundari
Smt. Kum Kum Mohanty
Smt. Basanti Shreedhar
Smt. Sobhna Narayan

An element of folk rhythm is also added to the festival. Interspersed between classical are dance performances by folk troupes from Orissa Goa, Gujarat, Bihar, Assam, Rajasthan, though dance is the highlight of the Konark Festival, the event is an entire cultural encounter, where the traditional arts and crafts of Orissa are on display. Colourful stalls offer intricate filigree items, paining on palm leaves and applique work.

Diwali
The festival of light or Deepavali comes once a year with a thunder of fire crackers and Diwali gifts. New clothes, New Cash books and great fun. In the north, it is cards and wine, the east being more conservative it is usually eating out, watching films with the family and praying to Goddess Lakshmi to grant property. It coincides with Kali-puja-celebrating Godders kali’s victory over Asuras. Diwali also symbolizes Lord Ram’s victory over Ravna. This year it falls on November 4th Enjoy !

Kartika Purnima
The auspicious month of Kartika (November - December), is revered by all Hindus throughout Indian. According to the Hindu Calender, this month is considered, to be the most sacred. People take a dip in the holy waters and offer their prayers for the fulfillment of their wishes. This is observed on Kartika Poornia (the Full-Moon day in Nov-Dec). The devout abstain from eating non-vegetarin dishes and even garlic.

Puri Beach Festival
The Puri Beach Festival is a celebration of Orissa, in all its beaucyt, charm and funloving spirits. And also celebrates the culture, areas, crafts and cuisine of a State. The five day Puri Beach Festival organised by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO) has all the ingredients that entertain people to enjoy life, forgetting the hectic schedule of life. the venue is the white sands on the Puri beach, it offers a unique opportunity for visitors to interest with the local populace and enjoy the many splendid charms of Orissa.

This year, the festival will be held from the 23rd to the 27th November, with the host of exciting shows and presentations, the Puri Beach Festival promises to bean enchanting and engrossing experience. This unique even combines the festive spirit of the carnival with the cultural exposure that is special to Puri as the seat of Lord Jagnnath.

The craft exhibition will display many traditional Orissan handicrafts, another attraction for tourists.

Bali Yatra is the only fair of its kind where traditional hand were and crafts are on display along with modern equipment’s and articles. Traditional craftsmen set up their shops alongside stall of corporate houses, multinational companies and also government organizations. The fiar witnesses a transaction of more than Rupees 10 crores (on an average) within a period of seven days. Another major component of this fair is the food stalls. A god section of stalls is occupied by different small and big hotels, and the Yatra has its famous recipes too. The most prominent among them are the traditional Thunka Puri (large puris) Puckhas, Chat and Cuttak’s own Dahivada Aloodum. However, in recent times, keeping in view the changing food habits of the people, there have been stalls offering Fast food, Chinese, and Ice creams. The week long festival that was originally planned s a part of the ancient maritime tradition of the state has now turned into a merrymaking occasion for the people. Beside all this the fair also provides a platform for demonstrating different cultural programmes. Troupes and artists from different parts of the State present their performances before a highly enthusiastic audience. On the amusement front, giant wheels, circus and especially the Maut Ka kuan (Death well where a daring feat is performed by two men as they ride a motorbike and a car respectively against the force of gravity within a globe-like structure) draw thousands of people each day.

Poetry in Stone - Konark

The Sun Temple of Konark is one of the mot beautifully constructed Temples in the World 65 kms from Bhubaneswar and close to the beach, this Temple - a wonderful aesthetic experience pulls countless visitors across the world.

HISTORY
Conceived as a gigantic charior, Konark is a tribute in stone to the Sun God Surya. But very little is known about its early history. It I said to have been built by Narasimhadev when he defeated Muslim Invaders. In the early seventeenth century, one of Jehangir’s envoys was thought to have desecrated it. Till the early nineteen hundreds, it was a mammoth ruin. In 1904, the sand and debris were cleared and the Temple emerged, amazing archaeologists.

THE TEMPLE
The base of the Temple has 24 gigantic wheels which are carved. There are seven powerful horses which pull the chariot and the entire temple is covered with carvings, sculptures, figures and bas-reliefs. The main gateway is guarded by two stone lions fighting elephants a recurring motif in Orissan Temple Architecture. Steps leas to the main entrance, surrounded by horses. The Jagmohan stands by the duel behind is in ruin. Three images of Lord Surya sculpted a chlorite have bee put in their former positions in such a way that they get the rays of the Sub at dawn, non and sunset.

The dancing hall or Natyamandir is placed between the main steps and entrance sculpture. The Natyamandir is elaborately sculpted. The base of the Temple, is minutely sculpted and most of them are erotic in nature. They could be images on the spoke of a wheel or life-size figures high up on the walls. Close on the beach, Konark was visible to sailors and was also known as the Black Pogoda. Many Historians are of the opinion that Konark contained a huge mass of magnetic iron, which pulled many a ship to the shore.

Strangely enough, there is another Sun Temple at Konark at Luxor - Egypt The names of the Temples are similarly pronounced. Konark and Konark. Is there a connection between the two? Archaeologist are still figuring it out!

THE BEACH
The sea is 3 kms away from the Temple. And is cleaner and beautiful than most beaches nearby. But the current can suddenly become strong making the prospect of a seabath quite risky.

Please to Stay There are quite a few places : Lodging Sunrise, Banita Lodge, Labanya Lodge. Yatr Niwas, the Panthaniwas Tourist Bungalow.

How to get there Well connected to Bhubanewsar and Cuttack, there is a Marine Drive which connects Puri and Konark. Cabs also can be hired from Puri, Cuttak and Bhubaneswar. Konark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An open air theatre has been built near the Temple and it is the venue for the Konark Dance Festival staged here every November. There’s a smaller festival in February.

RAGHURAJPUR - A Unique Village in the Tourist World

Raghurajpur is a unique village in the Puri district of Orissa. It’s idyllic setting on the southern ban of river Bhargai surrounded by coconut, palm, mango, jack fruit groves and other tropical trees gives it the identity of a real Indian Village. A number of betel-leaf gardens dot the nearby paddy fields. The villages runs from east to west with houses arranged in two neat rows facing each other. In the center runs a line of small temples and the lone Bhagbat to Bhuasuni (the village Goddess of Grama Devati), Radha Mohan, Gopinath, Dasabhuja, Raghunath, Laxminarayan and Gourang. To reach Raghurajpur one has to get down at Chandanpur Bus Stop, which is about 10 from Puri and 50 kms from Bhubaneswar on N.H No. 203 connecting Puri with Bhubaneswar, the two importatn tourist destinations of the country road to reach this village. One may also hire taxis wither from Puri or Bhubaneswar to reach straight in the village.

The coconut palm shaded village is quite different from other village of the state. It has its own identity. What is unusual is the number of outsiders including foreigners visiting the village round the year. These people don’t come here to see a typical Orissan village from close quarters but to see and enjoy the rich traditions of Orissan are and craft at one place. The village has a community of artisans who produce different varieties of handicraft items like pata paintings, palm leaf engravings, stone carvngs, papier machie toys and masks, wood carvings, wooden toys, cow-dung toys, tusser paintings, etc. Perhaphs no where in India one find such a huge coogregration of so many arts at one place like Raghurajpur. This is also the only village in Indian where each family is engaged in the profession of preparing some craft item. As a multi-caste village, Raghurajpur has 103 house holds having 311 Artists averaging 3 artists in one family. Some of them are National Award Winners. This village that one come across can find the best tradition of Orissan paintings and some of the finest pieces of work.

Besides crafts, this village has a living tradition of performing. Art known as Gotipua, the earlier from of Odissi. A worthy sonof Orissa, padmabibhusana Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, and exponent of Odiddi Dacne was born in this village and had his ealry trainings in Gotipua tradition here. Now a Gotipua Gurukul, namely Maa Dasabhuja Gotipua Odissi Dance School has been established here under the guidance of Guru Maguni Charn Das. The trainees of the said school aare presenting their performances in different cultural events of the country and abroad.

INTACH selected this village to revive the ancient wall painting of Orissa. The work has already been completed and now the villge looks like a living museum of paintings.

Government of Orissa is taking initiatives to develop the road form Chandanpur and Kathapola to Raghurajpur and urging UNICF to provide clean water to the village. To achieve this task, various Departments of Government of Orissa are converging their resources.

Once the Rural Tourism Project is completed, Raghurajpur will come in the National Travel circuit of the Government of Orissa.

Gopalpur - on - Sea
I was wondering about Beaches. Not the croded ones but those solitary and secluded. A space which could give one the much needed anonymity. Where nobody you know could possibly bump into you and say “what a pleasant surprise”. And I through of Gopalpur-on-sea. The name it say brought forth images of wind swept villas, carbs crawling on the sand and villas, and gently swaying coconut trees.

After arriving at Berhampur from Bhubaneswar at 8′0 Clock in the morning. I hired an ambassador and reached Gopalpur at 5. P.m. Making way to the Government run Panthaniwas - I had a quick shower at the Hotel and set out to explore Gopalpur.

It was dusk when I reached the Beach. The sound of the waves breaking puncutatd the stillness. The evening breeze was just the right for my jaded nerves and this escape from an urban lie style is just what my Doctor and advised.

The Ray of Bengal never looked so beautiful in the moonlight and the luminous waters gleamed! I set on the beach for an hour and then went back to the Hotel. At dinner in the Restaurant, later in the evening. I asked a fellow visitor if he knew anything about Gopalpur. He told me that Gopalpur was once part of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga. It had trade links with Bali, Java and Sumatra. It transformed into a small fishing village and was so named after a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna which was built is the 18th century. It was also an important trading point for rice from Rangoon. The East India Company due to its business interest with Burma Built huge warehouses and godowns.

The next day, armed with my Nikon, I click many pictures and then it started raining. The waves, the rain, the sound all combined to make a day where nature was in her element. I walked in the rain, drenched completely, to the Hotel to the shocked waiters. Who asked “why didn’t you take an umbrella, Sir”. I just smiled having enjoyed myself for the fist time after ten years.

More on Konark
Konark: Cover StoryKonark: Cover Story
Antiques and Palm LeavesAntiques and Palm Leaves
Parks in KonarkParks in Konark
In And Around KonarkIn And Around Konark