KHAJURAHO
DANCE FESTIVAL
Place : Khajuraho,
Bundalkhand, Madhya Pradesh
Venue : Western Group of temples, Khajuraho
Date : 25th February to 2nd March (for the next Seven Years from
2002)
The small village of Khajuraho situated in the northernmost part of Madhya
Pradesh, lies 395 Km southeast of Agra. Once the religious capital of
Chandela dy
nasty,
one of the powerful Rajput dynasties of Central India, Khajuraho is now
famous for it's enchanting temples and it's legendary Khajuraho dance
festival. The week- long festival of classical dances is held every year in
February/March against the spectacular backdrop of the magnificently lit
temples.
The temples, classified into three groups-the western group, the eastern
group, and the southern group are beautifully sculptured in stone and more
than a thousand years old. The sculptures reflect mainly the life, moods and
religious faith of that time.
This cultural festival highlights the richness of the various Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharathanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali with performances of some of the best exponents in the field. Modern Indian dance has also been added recently. The dances are performed in an open air auditorium, usually in front of the Chitragupta Temple dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and the Vishwanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, belonging to the western group. Along with the renowned performers, a number of craftsmen display their crafts to the visitors. There is an open market where local articles are there for sale. Khajuraho Dance Festival is conducted as a celebration of the cultural heritage of Khajuraho temples and preserving it for the coming generation.
How to get there
The access to Khajuraho is by air, rail and road. Khajuraho is 395km
from Agra, 117 km from Satna, 175 km from Jhansi, 350 km from Bhopal, 280 km
from Gwalior, 480 km from Indore, 210 km from Jabalpur.
Air: There are regular flights linking Khajuraho with Delhi (35
minutes), Agra(40 minutes), and Varanasi(45 minutes).
Rail: There is no direct train to Khajuraho. The most convenient
station is Jhansi(175km), which is linked to Delhi and other major northern
cities. Satna(117km) is another convenient railway head for those coming
from Mumbai, Calcutta and Varanasi.
Road: Khajuraho is connected by regular buses with Satna,
Harpalpur(94km), Jhansi and Mahoba(61km).