|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Khajuraho
Festivals
|
All the
Hindu festivals are celebrated here,
people from the neighbouring villages
turn out in large numbers adding local
flavour, colour and fun to these
festivals. Every month an Amavasya
festival is held when a bazaar is put up
where one can purchase various kinds of
consumer items. The entertainment during
these festivals includes tribal dances
and puppet shows. People take holy dip
in the tank and worship at the
Matangeshwar temple.
Mahashivratri
The most important festival of Khajuraho
is Mahashivratri . The festival marks
Shiva's marriage with Parvati, the
daughter of the Himalayas. The
2.5-m-tall lingam of Kandariya Mahadeo
temple is dressed as a bridegroom, with
white and saffron dhotis, and surmounted
by a huge, conical, silver paper crown.
The nightlong ceremony is performed by
the chief priest's son who anoints the
lingam with water from the sacred rivers
of India. The chanting of hymns
continues throughout the night, until
the Brahmins stand to throw bel leaves
and flower petals over the lingam, a
sign that the wedding is complete.
Khajuraho festival of dance is organized
every year in the months of
February/March. The cream of Indian
classical dancers performs here to
display the best of Indian dance and
music. The floodlit temples of Khajuraho
provide the perfect backdrop to the
festival.
Khajuraho Dance Festival
Held every year from 25th February to
2nd March, Khajuraho Dance Festival
takes place at the open-air auditorium
in front of the Chitragupta Temple
dedicated to the Sun God and the
Vishwanatha Temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva. They are situated in the Western
Group of temples, which is the largest,
well maintained and most easily
accessible temple group of Khajuraho.
Started regularly since 2002, this
weeklong festival has already become
legendary with its outlandish classical
dance performances presented in a
dreamlike setting of splendidly
illuminated temples. Khajuraho temples
present sculptures depicting various
skills and arts of courtly love
including dance and music in stone and
what venue can be more befitting to hold
the cultural festival highlighting the
various classical dances of India!
Some of the best artists and performers
that have marked themselves in their
fields come from the various states of
India to participate in the festival and
the performances including some of the
best known dance styles such as the
intricate footwork of Kathak, highly
stylized and sophisticated
Bharathanatyam, soft lyrical temple
dance of Odissi, the dance dramas of
Kuchipudi, Manipuri, the dance of rare
and ancient civilization and Kathakali
stage fights with elaborate masks.
Recently, modern Indian dances have also
found their place in the Khajuraho Dance
festival. Along with the dance
performances one can also see a number
of craftsmen trading off their
indigenous arts and crafts to the
visitors. |
|
 |
|
Tel: 91-11-44112200
Fax: 91-11-23721731
E-mail :-
