Khajuraho Dance Festival is one of the most splendid shows among the Indian Dance Festivals. The dance festival is organised against impressive backdrop of marvelously decorated western group of temple of Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The festival is held by Eicher and Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad, which aims at promoting cultural heritage of Khajuraho in particular and the whole country in general. In addition to that the festival intends to make the recent culture relevant to the society and preserve the heritage for the later generations. The festival is held every spring in order to celebrate the glory of the temples of the region.
The land of famous temples with beautiful creation was once the religious capital of Chandela dynasty. The dynasty was one of the powerful Rajput dynasties of Central India. The enchanting temples are associated with legendary dance festival. Khajuraho Dance Festival is the podium for intermingling of the varied dancing styles and forms of the country. This cultural festival aims at emphasising the richness of the Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharathanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. The celebration of Indian classical dance and music takes place in the milieu of the elegant temples, as most of these dance forms are believed to have basically originated in the Hindu temples.
Khajuraho Dance Festival is a week- long festival of classical dances which is held every year. The festival mostly takes place in the months of February and March. It is celebrated in an open-air auditorium with a perfect setting of brilliantly lit temples. Besides, classical dances, modern Indian dances also strengthen the culture heritage of the country. The Chitragupta Temple which is dedicated to Surya (the sun god) and the Vishwanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the venue for this cultural tryst. The whole dance festival brings together the past and present of dance heritage and offers the onlookers an experience worth remembering for lifetime.
The Khajuraho dance festival showcases the talents of the living legends of the various classical styles of Indian dance. The festival proceeds with the performance of two accomplished artists from different genres, who present their skills every evening of the festival. Besides, the dance festival, tourists can also buy local handmade garments and articles in an open market space which is also a part of the celebration. The festival has thus gained popularity not only in the Indian panorama but also on the world stage.
