Madhya Pradesh

• 22 Feb 2024

Khajuraho Dance Festival Completes 50 Years

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister inaugurated the golden jubilee (50^th edition) event of Khajuraho Dance Festival.

• On this occasion 1484 artists set a new world record for largest Kathak dance performance with the most number of performers.

Key Points

• The record setting (world record) performance of ‘Kathak Kumbh’ at the famous world heritage site is the 3^rd successive one after the Ujjain and Gwalior events, also recorded and recognised by the Guinness World Record.
  • In Ujjain 11 lakh 71 thousand and 78 diyas were lit.
  • While in Gwalior's Tansen Samaroh, a total number of 1600 tabla artists played in tandem during the Taal Darbar in Gwalior Fort.
• The CM announced the setting up of the country's first Gurukul for training tribal and folk arts in Khajuraho
• The Khajuraho Dance Festival (KDF) is being organized by the Cultural and Tourism Department under the guidance of Principal Secretary Sheo Shekhar Shukla.
• KDF has chosen to dedicate the event to Lord Natraj Mahadev, often referred to as the 'God of Dance'. This particular Shiva avatar represents how dance is a sacred medium of direct contact with God.
  • In the choreography of famous dance guru Rajendra Gangani, the artists from different cities of the state presented a mesmerizing performance in Raag Basant.
• All facilities will be made for aspirants training in traditional arts of tribal and rural communities with courses on teaching specialised crafts, leadership, singing, music, painting, regional literature with the help of senior experts and 'gurus' at the Gurukul.

Khajuraho Dance Festival

• It was started in 1975 and since then it has been successfully organised by Ustad Alauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy under the Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh. Since then, this dance ceremony has been held in the courtyard of well-known temples of Khajuraho.
• So far, young and senior artists of all the major classical dance styles of India like Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Mohiniyattem, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Yakshagana, Manipuri etc. have spread their aura in the Khajuraho Dance Festival.
• Through the festival, efforts have been made to innovate while maintaining the dignity of classical dance.