Konark Festival: From cosmic stillness to celestial play

The 36^th  Konark Festival of dance, held over five days from  1-5 December 2025,  unfolded as a grand extravaganza. Organised by Odisha Tourism in collaboration with the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. and the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, the mammoth gathering of audience, comprising—tourists, connoisseurs, and art enthusiasts from within the country and overseas stood testimony to the festival’s continued efforts. Tourists carried home experience that extended beyond performance. Be it the sculptures on the walls of the Sun temple or the dancers who have performed on the proscenium stage, they carried home glimpses of Indian art in all forms.

Drawing from Bharata Muni’s Natya Sastra, traditionally framed within the cosmological imagination of Treta yuga, the festival brought together six of the eight sastriya dance forms of India. One could not help but wish that the other two sastriya dance forms, Sattriya of Assam and Mohini Attam of Kerala could have also found place in the line-up.

That said, this year’s audience — comprising both global connoisseurs and lay viewers — had the opportunity to witness the rare and complex form of Indian theatre, Duryadhana Vadam, presented by the Kerala Kalamandalam troupe from Thrissur. The performance unfolded on the open-air stage set against the backdrop of the magnificent Konark Temple, attributed to King Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty around 1250 CE — a pinnacle of Odisha Hindu architecture dedicated to Surya, the Sun-god. The stage also carried memories of an earlier moment: in 2013, Kathakali exponent Sadanam Balakrishnan’s troupe from Kerala had presented Radha Madhavam, blending Kathakali and Mohiniattam.

It was therefore heartening to see Vayaskara Aryan Narayanan Moosad’s attakatha, Duryodhana Vadham, which dramatised key episodes from the Mahabharata, tracing Duryodhana’s growing arrogance and the eventual downfall of the Kauravas. Through expressive abhinaya, symbolic gestures and stylised battle sequences, the production culminated in the triumph of dharma and the restoration of cosmic order.

The principle roles were enacted by Kalamandalam Ravi Kumar as Duryodhana and Kalamandalam Hari R. Nair as Dussasana, with Kalamandalam Sudeep Mohan as Dharmaputra, Kalamandalam Sooraj in the role of Sakuni, Kalamandalam Anilkumar as Draupadi, Kalamandalam Thulasikumar as Krishna, and Kalamandalam Shanmukhadas as Bhima. The vocal support was rendered by Kalamandalam Vinod Kumar,

They were supported by Kalamandalam Viswas on Chenda and Kalamandalam Venumohan on Maddalam. Make-up being a crucial element of Kathakali was meticulously done by Kalamandalam Haridasan. 

Those seeking Bharatanatyam at its best, were treated to Ananda Shankar Jayant’s Shankarananda Kalakshetra Ensemble’s remarkable presentations, Dasavataram, a keertanam composed by Bhakta Ramdas, dripping with devotion.  The composition describes the ten avataras or incarnations of Maha Vishnu. In the pallavi, the poet affirms the absence of fear in the presence of Rama, and that there is nothing to lack when Vishnu bears the chakra.

Devi Upasakam that followed centred on the Mother Goddess as the guiding force leading mortals from darkness to light. The daru varnam by Muthaiah Bhagavathar, interweaving swara, sahitya and jati, portrayed Meenakshi as the warrior princess and embodiment of the primordial Omkara. This penultimate piece, along with Shivoham, placed Meenakshi and Siva at the spiritual core of the presentation, invoking their benediction in life and in dance. In Shambo Siva, Siva is envisioned as Sabhapathy, the cosmic dancer who danced at Chidambaram. The invocation with his myriad names, gave Ananda’s choreography a new dimension altogether. The piece seemed to beckon all his devotees to Kailasa to watch the cosmic dance of Nataraja — the creator of life and breath in the universe.

Ananda explored our ancient literature through Kalakshetra bani, which provided her with the roots to enthuse those who cherish our ancient philosophical thoughts. Bhakti was the primary guiding principle on her journey. The performance brought the ancient culture of India to the forefront. Ananda and her disciples, alongside Renuka Prasad’s nattuvangam, performed their way into the hearts of rasikas with élan.  

Drawing upon the Kuchipudi lineage, exponent Vyjayanthi Kashi chose to present the story of Samudra Manthana, churning of the Milky Ocean. The narrative is known not only for its mythic grandeur but also for its deep contemporary resonance. The ceaseless churning between positive and negative forces mirrors our own inner struggles; for it is our thoughts that ultimately shape our destiny and determine whether we experience turmoil or transcendence. The presentation opened with the traditional purvaranga, the ritualistic prelude that purifies and energises the performing stage. Vedic chants created an atmosphere of sanctity, followed by the purification of space through the five elements.

Obeisance to Ganesa, echoed the practices of the early Yakshaganas and Kalāpams traditions. As the cosmic order is threatened, Vishnu assumes the form of Mohini, to restor balance. Vyjayanti envisioned the production through the lens of Ardhanarisvara tattva — the inseparable equilibrium of purusha and prakriti, Vishnu and Shakti, showing their interdependence, suggesting that neither principle can sustain without the other.  

Vishnu’s incarnation as a tortoise, signified the strength of the spine, which symbolises physical axis. Just as the shell upholds mount Mandara during the cosmos churning, the human backbone becomes the central axis that supports existence. The jatis crafted for this segment emphasised the vigorous vachika characteristic of Kuchipudi. The churning sequence, and battle episodes, were demonstrated by the Kurma jatis, whose rhythmic syllables emphasised dramatic intensity.

Manipuri exponent Bimbavati Devi’s presentation of Leelakamal was a reminder to what Krishna had himself proclaimed — that whenever there is an ominous probability of good being trampled by evil, he will renounce his hiatus to protect his devotees. Leelakamal drew inspiration from the traditional dance of Goshthaleela, composed originally by the legendary guru Bipin Singh, and re-choreographed using traditional song and bols of Natasankirtana by Bimbavati Devi. Goshthaleela is traditionally performed in the temple premises on Gopasthami in the month of Kartik, in which Krishna and the sakhas are envisioned to go to the meadows to tame the cattle. Various valorous leelas of Krishna follows, and eventually good triumphs over evil, as enshrined in the Gita.

Leelakamal blended well with the ritualistic dance and music that form an essential part of Manipur’s various Vaishnava performing traditions. The episode of Bakasur vadh originally conceived by guru Bipin Singh, was redecorated with a contemplating dimension to suit senior dancers and give it the essence of Bakasur moksha and not just killing the demon which was in the form of a bird.  Excerpts from the ritualistic songs of Natasankirtana made it all the more beautiful and usage of other verses from Vaishnava texts such as Achintyashakti Sampanna sa Krishna Karunamaya were also incorporated..

S. Tomba Singh and M. Kendra Singh supported the presentation by playing pung and dholak. The vocal support was rendered by S. Premila Devi and N. Romila Devi. Violinist Amlan Halder and flautist Partha Sil enhanced the beauty of the narrative with their music.

Trained under Kumudini Lakhia, Sanjukta Sinha explored the complementary energies of Siva and Krishna — cosmic forces that together reflect the cycle of creation and dissolution. Through rhythm, movement and abhinaya, the performance moved from meditative stillness to ecstatic expression.

The first half, Adi Anant, was an ode to Siva, celebrating the meditative and dynamic aspects of the cosmic dancer while bringing together the aesthetics of the Jaipur and Lucknow gharanas. Presented by Sanjukta Sinha with Jaipur gharana exponents Sanjeet Gangani and Afsar Khan, it unfolded as a dialogue between rhythm and grace. However, the vast three-tier open-air stage diluted some of its intricacies; a more audience-conscious staging might have conveyed its subtleties more effectively.

The second half, Leela – The Dance of Celestial Ecstasy, celebrated Krishna’s divine play, where devotion meets spontaneity and joy transcends form. Together, Adi Anant and Leela traced a spiritual journey — from the still vastness of Siva to the joyous play of Krishna — reflecting the expressive range of Kathak and the enduring idea of dance as devotion

Odissi mentor and guru Sonali Mohapatra’s disciples took up Tulsidas’s Hanuman Chalisa, narrated in Odissi. This was followed by Saranga Pallavi with élan, weaving together melody and rhythm. The grand finale was Chari Yuga Devi, which displayed Devi traversing through the four yugas with her strength and divine energy. The pieces were choreographed by Sonali Mohapatra herself.  

Odissi exponent Sharmila Biswas made her present felt with her creative productions from the outset with a mangalacharan performed by her disciples, featuring the sublime Mahalakshmi Stotram sourced from the revered Padma Purana. The production brought to life the powerful and iconic imagery of the Goddess inspired by Patachitra paintings, and classical sculptures that captured the timeless form and majesty of the deity. The traditional inclusion of shadow puppets showed their dramatically swaying silhouettes. These enriched her narrative, transforming the performance into more than just a visual treat, offering a profound homage to the deep traditions they represent, weaving culture and devotion into every step; composer Srijan Chatterjee and choreographer Sharmila Biswas created a spell.

In Abartan and Bibartan, Sharmila chose indigenous games as a means to approach complex rhythmic calculations. Through simple activities and engaging exercises, the presentation evolved into a display of intricate rhythmic patterns, showcasing the range of traditional Odissi talas. The music and choreography pushed conventional boundaries, seeking to move beyond the form’s routine grammar by exploring the storytelling possibilities within Odissi rhythm. To achieve this depth, Sharmila incorporated relatively lesser-known percussion instruments of Odisha, to enrich and authenticate the rhythmic soundscape.

Shrishti-Tatva brought the recital to a close, bringing together ancient wisdom and modern science.  Drawing upon the Dasavatar and the work of Jayadeva was structured according to Srishti-tatva (the knowledge of creation). Disciples of Sharmila danced with power and grit, showcasing their reverence for the great creator in a magnificent way. The dance, the music, and the chants evoked spiritualism both to the lay audience and the connoisseurs.

The Srjan Ensemble presented Adviteeyam, a four-part production — Ardhanarishwara, Yugmadwanda Pallavi, an abhinaya piece Nachanti Range Shrihari, and Vande Suryam — under the artistic direction of Ratikant Mohapatra, with a distinguished team of musicians and lighting by Debiprasad Mishra.

Ardhanarishwara, based on Sankaracharya’s stotram and set to a composition by Raghunath Panigrahi, celebrated the unity of Siva and Parvati. The idea of the divine couple inhabiting one body was realised through coordinated group formations that unfolded in varied designs within the Odissi idiom.

Yugmadwanda Pallavi explored a rich interplay of movement and rhythm, with innovations in design and tempo. Conceived as a dialogue between dancer and musicians, it reflected a calibrated sawaal-jawaab, effectively adapting guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s solo choreography into a group format. Nachanti Range Shrihari depicted Krishna dancing in ecstasy amidst the enchanted gopis, evoking a celestial mood. Vande Suryam brought the presentation to a vigorous close, combining karanas, balance, agility and formations inspired by the gotipua tradition in a vibrant salutation to Surya.

Bharati Nrutya Mandir, Bhubaneswar, presented Charukesi Pallavi and Gajanana in the Odissi style, which lacked the refinement. Utkal Dance and Research Academy, Bhubaneswar, offered TriPathaga, a thematic presentation on river Ganga, choreographed by guru Ramesh Chandra Jena and guru Arati Kar. The dancers extolled the qualities of the sacred river as per the collective belief system.

The presentation that followed was Niyati or destiny, highlighting the philosophical proposition, that human beings remain puppets in the hands of destiny. The episode drew instances of the life of King Dasaratha to establish the proposition. Choreographed by guru Yudhistir Nayek and Arati Kar, this oft-repeated narrative, was executed well by trained dancers.