Konark (Odisha): Curtain downed on the five day Konark Festival, here on Saturday evening.

The concluding evening of Konark Festival witnessed amazing dance rendition in Odissi and Kathak being enchanted by rhythmic portrayals of Love.

The closing evening started with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre’s presentation of Mangala Charan and Sankaravaran Pallavi invoking God.

The composition is by legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra anusic maestro Bhubaneswar Mishra. The Centre also presented Krushna Gatha composed by PV Krushnamurty. Kasturi Patnaik directed and conducted the Centre’s programme today evening.

The senior artists from GKCM Odissi Research Centre came up on the stage with Mangalacharan dedicated to Lord Surya Deva, the presiding deity in the temple at Konark. It was followed by Shankaravarana Pallavi on the compositions of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Bhubaneswar Mishra. The enactment of Krushna Gatha on the popular lyrics of Odia medieval poets exhibited love between Krishna, Radha and Gopis.

Kathak exponent Aditi Mangal Das presented Fida with the artists from New Delhi based Dristikona Dance Foundation


The Kathak classical recital commenced with Ganesh Stuti depicting Love as devotion. The artists from Drishtikon repertory presented Utsav love as celebration depicting purity in movement and rhythm. In Kathak Triveni exhibiting musical composition based on the three rivers- Ganga,. Jamuna and Saraswati- enthralled one and all. The concluding item in Kathak was changing landscape – love as passion. Love as a life force got rhythmically recited on the stage to the appreciation of the viewers.

State culture minister Jyoti Praksah Panigrahi, sports minister Tushar Behera, principal secretary culture Bishnupada Seth, tourism secretary Vishal Dev and tourism director Sachin Kumar Yadav graced the closing ceremony of the international classical dance event in the courtyard of world famous Konark temple.

Sanhati Pani and Mrutunjaya Rath compared the programme.