Light and sound show at Konark likely soon

KONARK: The much-awaited light and sound show at the Sun Temple, the 13th Century World Heritage site at Odisha’s Konark are likely going to be a reality soon. However, scaffolding around the Sun temple has cast a shadow on the proposed light-and-sound show at the world heritage site.

Officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), and state Tourism Department on Monday made a field visit to the site to find out the location for the implementation of the project.

After inspecting various locations at the temple, the officials zeroed in on a site near Avadhoot Mutt where they have decided to implement the project.

ITDC, along with Odisha Tourism, is supposed to develop the show, for which Rs 6.06 crore has been earmarked. The contract to execute the project has been awarded to TricolorIndia Schauspiel Private Limited, the India branch of the UK-based Projection Studio, which has launched a similar project at Dhauli Peace Pagoda on the city outskirts.

However, the project is yet to take off as the scaffolding around the temple is seen as an obstacle to the show.

The government expects that the operationalisation of the light and sound show would increase tourist footfall to the black pagoda.

Notably, the light and sound show, to be designed with 3D projection mapping technology, will be performed in three languages—English, Hindi and Odia.

Eminent personalities from Ollywood and Bollywood would lend voice for the narration of the show.
Sources said a fresh plan for the show had been submitted to the ASI, whose nod is a must for the commissioning.
“We are using the 3D mapping technology, which is based on light and will have no ill effect on the 13th-century monument. But, we need a clear and hurdle free surface for projecting the images,” said an ITDC official.

Notably, the state government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) for the introduction of light and sound show at the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri, the Peace Pagoda at Dhauli and the Sun Temple at Konark in October 2014.

Director General of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Dr Rakesh Srivastava, who inspected the conservation work of the world famous Sun temple on Monday, said “We have put up scaffolding around the temple and started conducting chemical treatment after cleaning up the areas with pulp treatment. We will withdraw the scaffolding after the work is completed.”

To a question on whether the ASI would be able to bring the Sun temple back to its shape, Srivastava said as per the ASI work ethics, it does not put up the replica of the original stones. “We put up new stones by replacing the damaged stones,” he pointed out.