Highlights of Khajuraho Dance Festival

23 February 2021 Current Affairs:The six-day Khajuraho Dance Festival begins on February 21, 2021. The dance festival will be held in Khajuraho Temple.  Highlights: ♦ Khajuraho Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Madhya Pradesh, and is famous for its ancient Hindu temples and Jain temples. This festival will be held at the temple site in 44 years.  ♦ The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) granted permission to organize a music festival on site. This year, the cost of holding a music festival was also waived. It is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Madhya Pradesh Government.  ♦ About 46 years ago, in 1974, this place began to hold dance festivals with the purpose of promoting the development of heritage and tourism.  ♦ According to reports, ASI cancelled the permit two years later in 1976 following the destruction of the monuments and the defacement of the idols. Therefore, in the past 44 years, music festivals have been held in open gardens. ♦ Khajuraho Dance Festival is held by Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad from February 20th to February 26th every year. This is a week-long classical dance festival. It was organized under the premise of Khajuraho Temple in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh.  ♦ The dance festival showcases the richness of Indian classical dance styles, including Odissi, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, and Kupchipudi And Kathakali. Recently, modern Indian dance has also joined the festival.  ♦ Khajuraho is a group of monuments composed of Hindu temples and Jain temples which is located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. It is located about 175 kilometers southeast of Jhansi. This temple (Khajuraho Temple) is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Khajuraho Temple is famous for its architectural symbol of Nagara style. Most temples were built by the Chandra Dynasty between 885 and 1050 AD.