Dancing at the foothills of Dhauli

The Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav brings martial arts and classical dance forms on the same platform

The pristine white Peace Pagoda (Shanthi Stupa), atop the historic Dhauli hills, near Bhubaneswar, serves as a befitting backdrop for the 18th Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav. Launched in 2003 as two separate festivals, they were merged in 2013 to be conducted as a three-day event to celebrate peace and harmony through music and dance.

The open-air stage at Shanti Vihar, at the foothills of Dhauli, is surrounded by sprawling paddy fields and lush green trees along the banks of river Daya. The otherwise calm place, comes alive during the festival, with tourists from across the globe and art lovers from nearby villages and towns thronging the venue.

Organised jointly by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation and Orissa Dance Academy, the festival has been carrying forward founder and legendary Odissi guru Gangadhar Pradhan’s vision of bringing together heritage and art. The 36-year-old Konark Dance and Music Festival is also his brainchild. Guru Gangadhar was keen to take dance and music back to where they belonged — ancient monuments.

Son of a poor farmer, at the age of five, he was offered to a village temple to serve as a Gotipua dancer for 10 years. His passion and hard work made him one of the most sought-after gurus. At the age of 25, he started the Orissa Dance Academy in Bhubaneshwar. Five years later, he established the Konark Natya Mandap, near the Sun Temple, where, in 1986, he began hosting the annual Konark Dance and Music Festival. It prompted the Odisha government to launch its own Konark dance festival three years later.

Why Dhauli?

After establishing the Orissa Dance Academy as one of the world’s biggest Odissi dance institutions, and Konark Natya Mandap as a unique institution that trains artistes in Gotipua, Odissi and several indigenous and marginalised art forms in gurukul system, he turned his attention towards Dhauli.

It is presumed that the Kalinga war was fought here. Emperor Ashoka, who won the war, embraced Buddhism after witnessing death and destruction. Guru Gangadhar was keen to set up a gurukul and launch a festival at this very site to promote Odisha’s rich art traditions. He invested all his earnings and even borrowed some money to acquire land at the foothills of Dhauli to set up Shanti Vihar, where, once upon a time, peace won over war.