Bhopal:  Governor Shri Mangubhai Patel will inaugurate the 48th ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival-2022’ at world famous tourist destination Khajuraho in the Amrit Mahotsav being celebrated on the 75th anniversary of independence. Tourism, Culture and Spirituality Minister Sushri Usha Thakur, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Shri Om Prakash Sakhlecha and MP Shri Vishnu Dutt Sharma will also be present. Principal Secretary Culture and Tourism Shri Sheo Shekhar Shukla informed that the 48th ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival’ will be held from February 20 to 26, 2022. Like last year, this year also it will be the glory of the temple courtyard. It will be an unmatched confluence of devotion of God and dance. Renowned artists of the country and the world will give their dance performances in the dance festival. National Kalidas Award for dance and Madhya Pradesh State Rupankar Kala Reward will also be presented at the ceremony.

In the ceremony, there will be major events like the event centred on cultural landscape of Indian dance-styles and the exhibition of art-travel focused on Kathak- Nepathya, the art exhibition of other countries of the world including India Art-Mart, dialogue of artists and art scholars- Kalavarta, exhibition focused on art contribution of senior painter Shri Laxminarayan Bhavsar- Pranati, fair of indigenous knowledge and tradition – Hunar and films centered on artists – Chalchitra.

Principal Secretary Shri Shukla informed that the dance festival is being organised with the joint efforts of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Archaeological Survey of India and District Administration Chhatarpur along with Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Academy of Culture Department, Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parishad. There will also be a 5 km ‘Dil Khol Ke Ghoomo’ marathon on February 20 for women in the ‘Safe Tourism Project for Women’ this year. It aims to inculcate a sense of security among women in tourist destinations with the slogan “Hindustan Ke Dil Mein Aap Safe Hain”.

Principal Secretary Shri Shukla informed that Khajuraho dance festival was started in 1975 from the temple premises itself. In the beginning, it was not allowed to be performed in the temple premises only for two-three years, as a result of which this ceremony was performed outside in the ground. It is noteworthy that last year, the Culture Department’s attempt to organise this programme in the temple premises was successful and this year also this function will be held in the temple premises itself.

National Kalidas  Award and State Rupankar Kala Reward

National Kalidas Award for dance will be awarded to Sunayana Hazari Lal for the year 2019-20 and Shanta-VP Dhananjayan for the year 2020-21. Along with this, the State Rupankar Kala Reward will be given for the year 2022 and an exhibition of their works will also be organised.

Enjoy tourism activities along with cultural programmes

Principal Secretary Shri Shukla informed that the state’s culture is the mainstay of tourism. Along with enjoying cultural programmes, art lovers will also enjoy tourism. The tourism department has made all necessary arrangements for the tourists to get acquainted with the culture, heritage, traditions, customs and food of the region. Tourists will get acquainted with the local culture, art and taste of local Bundeli cuisine along with participating in interesting activities like heritage run, glamping, village tour, water rafting, e bike tour, excursion around Khajuraho in the festival.

Attractive dance performances will be held at Khajuraho Dance Festival

On the first day of Khajuraho dance festival on 20th February, Kathak group by late Pandit Birju Maharaj’s disciple Kalashram New Delhi and Bharatanatyam group dance by Shanta-VP Dhananjayan and colleagues will be presented. On the second day, Odissi by Sujata Mohapatra Bhubaneshwar, Bharatanatyam Kathak Samagama by Nirupama Rajendra Bangalore and Kuchipudi group dance by Jayarama Rao and Saathi Delhi will be performed. On the third day of the ceremony, on February 22, Mohiniyattam by Neena Prasad Trivandrum, Bharatnatyam group by Parshwanath Upadhyay Bengaluru and Kathak dance by Tina Tambe Mumbai will be performed. On the fourth day, Kathak by Sonia Parchure Mumbai, Kathakali-Bharatnatyam by Kalamandalam Sunil and Paris Lakshmi Kottayam Kerala, Kathak by Ragini Nagar New Delhi and Udarta Netuma dance by Danuka Aryavansa Sri Lanka will be performed.  On the fifth day of the function, Kuchipudi group dance by Vasant Kiran and partner Kadiri Andhra Pradesh, Kathak by Sharvari Zamenis and Partner Pune, Bharatnatyam Group Dance by Sandhya Pooracha and Group will be performed. On the sixth day, 25 February, Kathak by Devika Devendra S Mangalamukhi Jaipur, Odissi group by Rudraksh Foundation Bhubaneswar and Kathak group dance by Nayanika Ghosh and Partners Delhi will be presented. On the last day of Khajuraho dance festival, on February 26, Bharatanatyam-Kathak by Shweta Devendra and Kshama Malviya Bhopal, Manipuri group by Tapasya Imphal and Kathak group dance by Shama Bhate and partner Pune will be presented.

All art lovers and tourists are invited

Principal Secretary Shri Shukla has cordially invited all art lovers, tourists and general public to be a part of Khajuraho dance festival of international. It is the topmost festival of the country, centred on Indian classical dance styles, which is well known nationally and internationally. Entry to the event will be free for all visitors. The event will be telecast live on YouTube of Culture Department and Facebook page of Khajuraho Dance Festival and on YouTube.