Konark, Dec. 2 -- The 15th edition of the International Sand Art Festival, a renowned cultural event that annually takes place on the beautiful Chandrabhaga Beach, commenced near the historic Konark Sun Temple on Monday.

Coinciding with the 36th Konark Festival, the five-day cultural celebration runs until December 5, transforming the golden sands into an open-air gallery of stunning sculptures under the guidance of Padma Shri awardee Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik.

Organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, the festival brings together master sculptors from across the world, including participants from various Indian states and international artists from countries like Spain, Portugal, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Russia.

T...