48th Khajuraho Dance Festival

Category
History
Published
2nd Mar, 2022

Context

Madhya Pradesh Governor, has inaugurated the 48th 'Khajuraho Dance Festival-2022' at world-famous tourist destination Khajuraho on the occasion of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

About

About Khajuraho dance festival

The Khajuraho dance festival was started in 1975 from the temple premises itself.
It was not allowed to be performed in the temple premises only after two-three years, as a result, this ceremony was performed outside the temple premises.
Last year, the Culture Department’s effort to organise this program in the temple premises was successful and this year also this function is being done in the temple premises itself.

Important facts about Khajuraho

Khajuraho is an ancient city known for magnificent temples and its intricate sculptures located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh.
It was built in the medieval century by the Chandela Dynasty.
The UNESCO site of 'Khajuraho Group of Monuments' is famous for its Nagara-Style architecture and graceful sculptures of nayikas and deities.
The splendour of the intricate statues is one of the reasons that make it a popular site to visit among tourists.
Built between 950-1050 AD by the Chandela Dynasty, these temples represent various forms like meditation, spiritual teachings, relationship, through stimulating art.
Some of the prominent temples that have stood the test of time here are Kandariya Mahadeva, Chaunsath Yogini, Lakshmana, Devi Jagadamba, Chitragupta and Parsvanath.

The Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the largest of them all and consists of 872 statues.

The Chaunsath Yogini temple is the oldest one in Khajuraho and as the name suggests, it once had 64 cells dedicated to yoginis or female attendants.

The Chandela dynasty

Chandela’s were Rajpoot Dynasty who ruled over central India from the 8th to 13th centuries.
Chandela dynasty was founded by Nannuka (r. c. 831-845 CE)
Chandela kings were also known as The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti as they ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called Jejakabhukti).
They have left a huge impact on our history and culture and left behind a great heritage that is standing tall even after 800 years.
Khajuraho was the capital during Chandela’s rules, earlier it used to be Mahotsav Nagar, which is currently known as Mahoba.
It is also written in some historic literature that Chandela’s considered 3 Capitals.
- Mahoba was the cultural capital
- Khajuraho was the spiritual capital
- Kalinjar was their Army capital

Key-points

This dance festival is being organised with the joint effort of Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Akademi Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parishad of Culture Department, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Archaeological Survey of India and District Administration Chhatarpur.