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The Cultural Gurukul Ashram:
Nestling amidst casuarinas and cashew trees on a
sand dune stands the Konark Natya Mandap, a
performer's delight. The beauty of the architecture
is a testimony to the painstaking efforts of Guru
Gangadhar Pradhan, a renowned
Odissi Dance Guru and
Mardal
Player of international repute. The Natya
Mandap is a replica of the ancient Natyasala of the
scintillating and stupendous Sun Temple of Konark.
It provides just the right kind of ambience for
artistes, connoisseurs and art lovers from all over
the country and abroad.
Started in 1986, this
majestic recreation of the past sculptural
masterpiece has become the temple of performing arts
all over the world.
The objectives of the Konark Natya Mandap are to
preserve, promote and project the rich cultural
heritage of Orissa and to infuse cultural awareness
in the minds of all, through organization of dance,
music and cultural festivals all round the year. It
has played a significant role in the famous Konark
Dance & Music Festival, organized every year from
19th to 21st of February. Apart from that, the Konark Natya Mandap serves as a temple of learning.
Following the glorious traditions, Guru Kula
Parampara, it provides teaching and training in
dance, music and yoga. Classes on
Odissi Dance,
Gotipua Dance, Chhau Dance, Mardal, Tabla, Odissi
Vocal and all other forms of Orissan art and culture
are being conducted in the premises of Konark Natya
Mandap. Experienced gurus and teachers share their
experience with students who get the privilege of
presenting their skills on the three stages (Open
Air Auditorium) erected in the premises. Besides,
other art forms like
Sankirtan, Paika Akhada, Pala,
Daskathia, Ramalila
etc. are also performed on
festive occasions like Basanta Panchami, Ram Nabami,
Kumar Purnima, Raja Utsav, Akshaya Trutiya, Dola
Utsav, Siva Ratri, Janmastami, Saraswati Puja,
Jhulana Purnima and on a few other occasions.
In the present system of
Gurukul Ashram, the Konark
Natya Mandap has initially taken 40 students in the
age group of six to sixteen who are being imparted
training in different streams of performing arts.
They belong mostly to the rural areas of different
parts of Orissa where poverty and illiteracy still
prevail. They are taken in with the consent of their
parents and guardians. In the Konark Natya Mandap,
these students are provided
education, health and
standard accommodation
to carry on their training.
On different occasions like fairs and festivals
these students visit their native places for a few
days and come back to their daily routine life at
the Gurukul Ashram.
The Gurukul Ashram also celebrates different
rituals, cultural occasions and birth and death
anniversary of eminent persons comprising 115 days a
year since last seven years. There is a plan to
celebrate all
365 days of the year through different
cultural programmes and rituals. Konark Natya Mandap
is conceptualised as a model of Living Konark. It is
an attraction for tourists where they get a glance
of the classical culture along with the folk &
tribal culture of Orissa, exhibited through dance,
music, art, spiritual & traditional rituals.
Workshops on different aspects of Orissan art &
culture go on round the year for retirement from the
busy humdrum that is our modern life. It provides
the perfect platform for development of our rich and
profuse culture.
Our dream
is to turn the stone Konark to a living
and vibrant Konark; a Konark where music and culture
express themselves through the mute stones of the
architectural wonder.. |
