KONARK MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL

Konark is a town in the Puri district of Odisha. It is the site of the gigantic and magnificent Konark Sun temple built in the 13th century dedicated to Lord Surya.

Konark is home to the biggest annual cultural program called Konark music and dance festival- a festival that celebrates dance, music, and art in a venue where every stone has a story to tell.

Konark Dance and Music Festival was started in the year 1986 at Konark Natya Mandap by Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. It is held every year for almost 5 days and this year it would be held from 19 to 23 February. The sole purpose of this festival is to bring together artists to showcase and popularize the classical, folkp and tribal dance and music of India. Artists from different parts of our country come together and celebrate themselves and their art thus creating international cultural amity and brotherhood.

This festival showcases the cultural depth of India and over time it has established its own unique identity, in the sense, that the eminent national and international artists participate and perform Odissi, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, and other classical, folk and tribal dances/music of our country on the esteem stage of the Natyashala held in the open-air auditorium set in the backdrop of the majestic Sun temple of Konark, amidst the natural ambiance of casuarinas and cashew trees.

During this period every year, Konark experiences a surge of tourists and art enthusiasts, to envision the biggest and the grandest of dance festivals in the state. The festival enthralls and mesmerizes the people who visit from far and wide.

Complementing the dance and music, a Crafts Mela is held to display and sell beautiful sculptures and souvenirs made by the expert craftsmen of the region. The International Sand Art Festival, organized at Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark during the same days brings all elements of Odisha's cultural heritage to live in one place.

Performing at the Konark festival is a dream of many artists. Just being a part of the crowd makes you feel immersive and divine.

I am a trained classical Odissi dancer and a music lover and wish to be a part of the Konark dance and music festival. the more I say about these forms of art the more I fall in love with them. A Piece of dance accompanied with soulful music unravels many untold stories. Dance is something that provides inner peace and tranquility. I believe that when one dances, it feels as if the stars have come alive in their gracious movements, colourful ambiance, and rhythmic innuendos on a platform.

While concluding I would say that Konark Music and Dance Festival is one of the richest cultural legacies which is prevalent in India. Konark Music and Dance Festival is the main reason why the cultural heritage of Odisha is alive and blossoming.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH FOUNDATION DAY

Arunachal Pradesh would be a strong contender, if there was a contest for the Indian state with the best name as its name means "land of the dawn-lit mountains", which evocatively tells us that it is located in the extreme north eastern part of India, on the edge of the Himalayas.

Arunachal Pradesh, meaning “Land of the Rising Sun,” long has been a recognized region of the Indian subcontinent and is bordered by the kingdom of Bhutan to the west, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, Myanmar (Burma) and the Indian state of Nagaland to the south and southeast, and the Indian state of Assam to the south and southwest. The capital is Itanagar. It has the lowest population density in India.

Arunachal Pradesh will be celebrating its 35^th Statehood Day on 20^th February.

In August 1947 when India became an independent nation, the region was known as the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and was administrated through Assam state.

In January 1972, the NEFA became a Union Territory and was named Arunachal Pradesh. On February 20th 1987, Statehood was conferred on Arunachal Pradesh and it became the 25th State of the Union of India.

As part of the celebrations a number of events had been planned which were to be held across the five first districts of Arunachal Pradesh — Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit, and Tirap. But with the late onslaught of Covid-19 in the state and amid fears of the Omicron variant, the organisers of the event decided to scrap the original plan and hold only inaugural ceremony at Ziro on Friday while maintaining Covid-19 standard operating protocols.

At the event, CM Pema Khandu said we are “blessed with a beautiful and resourceful state but that negative agenda is mostly prompted by people should also strive for happiness.”

Arunachal Pradesh is known for its pristine beauty and the lush green forests. Snowy misty, famous monasteries, unexplored passes and tranquil lakes come together to form some of the prettiest mountain spots in Arunachal Pradesh.

Students often raise a query about which is better, online or offline mode of examination. But I do prefer OFFLINE.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"- by Nelson Mandela.

Education system has changed in many ways over the last two years, the most important change is shifting the mode of learning and conducting examination. Educational institutions are slowly moving to online platforms for imparting knowledge, which in a way, is changing the perception of learning among students and parents.

The offline mode is the traditional way of conducting tests and examination, through hard copies of question papers. When schools conduct the examinations at physical centres, invigilators play a vital role in regulating activities and ensuring no unfair means are adopted by the students. One of the major disadvantages of an online examination system is using unfair means in an abundance as the students can access google. Correction of online exam papers are always challenging as student's capacity cannot be judged accurately.

Multiple state universities have taken an independent decision to conduct online examinations amid the rising COVID cases, instilling fear of the third wave. On the other hand, many universities are planning to conduct offline examinations accompanied by a hybrid option for students who cannot appear for the examinations due to health-related reasons. Many universities have taken call to conduct offline exams but students have been protesting that they studied online the entire year, it is only fair to conduct the exams online too, as most students are not prepared for the offline mode.

In Mumbai, students gathered at Dharavi, the assembly constituency of state education minister Varsha Gaikwad in the afternoon, demanding for online exams. Meanwhile, students gathered at Aurangabad Nagpur Osmanabad with similar demands. The notice then directed all the universities to conduct all “current and future semester examinations" in offline mode at their respective college and school centres keeping all the necessary precautions in place. They have taken the correct decision to conduct offline exams because the future of any country depends upon its students. A country's name and fame rest on the educated youth.

Written by –

Dilasa Gazzela

XI SCIENCE

Online exams are administered through a system that is self evaluated.

The e-examination is the inability of invigilating. There are methodologies used in this examination while registering the candidates and presentation of questions, so that the candidate’s aptitude and skills will be evaluated accurately. We need to admit that technology is still not universal. Many people are still unaware of it and follow the traditional methods.

Chances of using unfair means are wide. In online exams the systems are made good enough not to be breached but there is still a chance for a technical glitz. Open book assessment can be used on the online platforms.

Written by-

Ramanaya Karwa

XI SCIENCE