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 Konark, the world heritage monument beams to full house on 1st week of December with the holding of the Konark Festival. Like previous years, the 13th Konark Festival 2002 was organised in the back drop of Sun Temple, Konark in the Open Air Auditorium of the Yatrinivas Complex at Konark from lst-5th December. The five day cultural extravaganza was inaugurated by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa Sri Naveen Patnaik. The evening also was attended by host of galaxies like Union Minister of Steel & Mines Sri Braja Kishore Tripathy, Sri Surendranath Nayak, Hon 'ble Minister School & Mass Education, Hon'ble Minister Tourism Sri A. U. Singh Deo and many more dignitaries.
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 On the lst day, Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar performed an item known as Kichak Baddha and followed by
Bharat Natyam by Smt. Ananda Shankar & Group, Hyderabad.
Bharat Natyam item was performed by Ananda Shankar & group followed by Bharata Nritya Mandir Bhubaneswar on the 2nd day. The third day Vempatti China Satyam group of Chennai and spectacular Chhow Dance of Chhow Research Academy of Bhubaneswar enthralled the audience by their danseuse. Jawahar Nehru Manipuri group of Imphal and group from Mumbai headed by Guru Natabar Maharana displayed their performance, which was nicely appreciated by the attending tourists.
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 On the concluding day Kathak Kendra New Delhi headed by Rajendra Gangani and Jawahar Nehru Manipuri Academy Imphal gave a fitting finale of the Dance Festival. Hon
'ble Minister Revenue Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan formally declared the festival a close.
Besides the classical dances, the national festival also added another attraction by organising the Handicraft Mela being inaugurated by Sri
S.N. Nayak, Hon'ble Minister School & Mass Education.
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 During the 5 days festival 7000 domestic tourists and 238 foreign tourist had witnessed the festival. Rs.29520 had been collected by means of selling tickets. Elaborate arrangement had been made by the Tourism Deptt. and Dist. Administration for easy transportation of the tourist to the festival venue. Orissa Tourism Development Corporation had organised regular package tour Ex-Bhubaneswar and Ex-Puri for the intending tourists visiting to Konark to witness the festival.
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