Amidst the breathtaking view of the Khajuraho group of temples in Madhya Pradesh, the beats of mridanga, tabla and ghungroos filled the air at the Khajuraho Dance Festival 2024. t2 got to witness the artistic brilliance over a span of six days, last month. An emblem of the Chandela dynasty, the five temples (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site) spell out old stories through carvings on the temple walls, standing tall since 885 CE (approximately). The Khajuraho Dance Festival celebrated its 50th edition this year and it was made even more special with a record-breaking inaugural performance titled ‘Kathak Kumbh’ — with a group of 1,480 dancers, making it the largest group performance by Kathak dancers and marked an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.
The steps of the temples were filled with laughter and the tinkling sound of the ghungroos, as the excited Kathak dancers from all backgrounds were spotted clicking photos against the majestic backdrop
he Khajuraho temple was a majestic beauty. A glimpse of the Lakshmana temple (one of the five from the group of temples) shining under the moonlight
On the sidelines of the festival, people got a peek into tribal art, food, and other specialities of the state in different stalls and exhibitions sprawled across the area. The evening shows were titled Nepathya, which featured Padma Shri-winning performers from different schools of the classical dance form. Browse through an album from the event organised by the government of Madhya Pradesh, Department of Culture and Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy and co-organised by the Archaeological Survey of India and Madhya Pradesh Tourism.
Kathak Kumbh was the highlight of the 50th edition of the Khajuraho Dance Festival as 1,480 Kathak dancers came together before the majestic five sets of temples and put up the record-breaking performance, which was logged into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Padma Shri Puru Dadheech and Harshita Sharma Dadheech with their troupe from Indore showcased a prolific Kathak performance.