Map of Khajuraho
The rich cultural heritage and diversity of India is beautifully expressed through the medium of dance. The various dance forms of India reflects the cultural traditions of India wonderfully well. When we talk of classical dance forms, India is home to some of the finest dance artists. The country boasts of an amazing variety of dances. While some of the classical dance forms are religious, some of the dances are performed for entertainment and some others for various festive occasions. The Indian classical dances are based on the 9 types of emotions or ‘Rasa’. These are anger, happiness, fear, peace, courage, agony, kindness, disgust and surprise. Among these, majority bears a religious significance and conveys devotion towards the Divine.
With the increasing popularity of classical dance in India, several dance festivals emerged at various temples in India with a motive to bring close the temples and the religious dances. The Indian Dance Festivals offer a common stage to both the dance connoisseurs and the artist whereby the artists get the opportunity to showcase their talent and the dance connoisseurs are able to appreciate the performances. The dance festivals in India are a treat to watch and an experience of a lifetime.
Every year several dance festivals take place in different parts of India. Most notable among them is the Khajuraho Dance Festival. Khajuraho situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh, is very popular for the temples and the popular dance festival. Well-known for the popular erotic carvings depicting love and architectural splendor, the temples in Khajuraho are visited by numerous tourists from across the globe. The several cultural events that happen in Khajuraho facilitate the promotion of Madhya Pradesh tourism as well. The Khajuraho dance festival is among such events that pulls innumerable people every year.
Held for the first time, about 20 years back, the festival has proved to be among the exclusive dance festivals, over the years and in the recent times it has gained immense popularity among the masses. Organized in Khajuraho, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, this festival of dance is comparatively a new entrant but owing to its magnificent standards and performance, it has been successful in earning great deal of recognition and reputation, not only among the local people but also among the foreigners.
This Dance Festival at Khajuraho happens in the month of February. It is a 7 day festival generally commencing from 25th February and continues till 2nd of March. This weeklong 7 days cultural and dancing extravaganza is organized and promoted as one of Khajuraho’s major event, by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department. The festival takes place at the open air auditorium near the Chitragupta Temple. Set up thousand years ago, the Chitragupta temple is devoted to the Sun God. Besides, the Khajuraho Dance festival can also be seen at Vishwanatha Temple in Khajuraho which is devoted to Lord Shiva.
The basic idea that goes behind organizing the Khajuraho Dance Festival is to create awareness about Khajuraho’s cultural heritage among the younger generation. Several well-known artists can be seen participating in the festival. The different dance forms that you can enjoy at the Khajuraho Dance Festival are Odissi, Bharathanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi and Manipuri. The wonderful dance performances amidst the beautiful sculptures of Khajuraho is definitely a must watch for you. The artists who perform at the festival are honored for their outstanding performances. The dance quality and presentation along with the shimmering venue is unparalleled.
Coupled with the dance festival takes place a cultural fair that draws in large number of tourist to this place. The souvenirs and artifacts of the local artisans are exhibited here and also kept for sell in the open market, which is in close proximity to the venue of the dance festival. This fair not only serves the purposes of livelihood and showcasing of local art for the artisans but also spreads the popularity of the art work beyond the geographical boundaries of the region. The Khajuraho Dance Festival can therefore be called a celebration of both the local art of the region and the heritage of the Khajuraho temples.
The best time to visit Khajuraho is in the months of February and March when apart from having a look at the temples and tourist spots of Khajuraho, you can also enjoy the dance festival. The Dance Festival at Khajuraho witnesses the amalgamation of renowned artist, performers, musicians, dancers, craftsman, from not only Khajuraho but different corners of India.
The Khajuraho Dance Festival will provide you with an amazing opportunity to experience and enjoy India’s rich heritage. Whether you want to enjoy the intricate details of Kathak or the stylish, lyrical Odissi dance, Kuchipudi dramas or the sophisticated Bharathanatyam, you would get it all the Khajuraho dance festival, which is the perfect blend of all the classical dance forms existing in India.
International status has been attained by the Khajuraho Dance Festival for beautifully upholding the Indian cultural and variety, thereby providing the viewers an enriching social and cultural treat.
The different performances that are planned to take place at the Khajuraho Dance Festival 2011 are listed below for your reference:
- Odissi Group: Gajendra Panda
- Kathak Solo: Malvika Mitra
- Bharatnatyam Solo: Geeta Chandran
- Manipuri Group: Darshana Jhaveri
- Mohiniattam Solo: Vijaylaxmi Shivaji
- Kathak Solo: Vasanti Vaishnav
- Kathak Solo: Maneesha Sathe
- Bharatnatyam Solo: C.V. Chandrashekhar
- Kathkali Group: Kalamandalam N.R. Gramprakash
- Kathak Duet: Ishira & Moulik Shah
- Kathak Group: Rajendra Gangani
- Kuchipudi Solo: Vaijayanti Kashi
- Group Dance Performances: Satriya-K.D. Goswami-Group, Manipuri Pungcholam-Joy Singh-Group and Purulia Chhau-Chinidas Mohato-Group
If you are thinking of how to reach Khajuraho, then you can do it through airways, rail or roadways. The Khajuraho Airport connects Khajuraho to important cities in India. Flights of Jet Airways connect to Delhi, Mumbai and Varanasi. Air Sahara connects to Indore, Bhopal and Delhi. Indian Airlines links to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi, while Kingfisher connects to Allahabad, Bhopal, Mumbai, Indore and Delhi. Khajuraho can also be reached from Nepal through flights.
Although Khajuraho has no direct rail station, yet the nearest railway stations that connect Khajuraho to other parts are Mahoba and Harpalpur. These railheads are at a distance of 63km and 94km respectively. For the travelers from North India, the convenient rail head is Jhansi, which is at a distance of 172km. The travelers from Varanasi, Kolkata and Mumbai can avail the Satna railhead, located at a distance of 117km on the Mumbai- Allahabad railway route.
Khajuraho is linked to various cities in Madhya Pradesh through the properly maintained roads. There are direct buses of Madhya Pradesh Tourism as well as private tour operators from Khajuraho to Harpalpur, Agra, Satna, Mahoba, Jhansi, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Chhatarpur and many more.
