Khajuraho Dance Festival is National Heritage : CM Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the Khajuraho Dance Festival represents the rich legacy of our national heritage. Khajuraho is a place where stones seem to breathe with life. The temple complex at Khajuraho includes the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, Vaman Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Parvati Temple and several other shrines. This land of valour and precious heritage is also a confluence of arts.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav virtually addressed the seven-day International Festival of Classical Dances, which commenced on Friday at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho. He stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has called for connecting ancient culture with Sanatan traditions. The Government of Madhya Pradesh is dedicatedto nurturing, preserving, and advancing diverse artistic traditions. Accordingly, the State Budget has increased allocations for the Department of Culture. He also welcomed eminent dancers and representatives of various classical dance traditions who participated in the festival.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that Khajuraho is both a national and international heritage site. The 52nd Khajuraho Dance Festival this year has been dedicated to Lord Nataraja, for which the Department of Culture deserves appreciation. He described the festival as a unique effort to link India’s rich classical dance tradition with Lord Shiva in his divine form as Natesha. He added that artists who visit Madhya Pradesh always wish to return.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Tourism and Religious Trusts & Endowments, Shri Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, Member of Parliament Shri V.D. Sharma, and other public representatives released four books. These included: Nataraja — The Karanas of Lord Shiva’s Dance Postures; a coffee table book centred on Khajuraho and the Dance Festival; Bundeli — History, Culture and Pride; and Bundelkhand — The Priceless Heritage of Madhya Pradesh.

The prestigious seven-day festival is being organised by the Department of Culture and the Ustad Alauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy, in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India, South Central Zone Cultural Centre (Nagpur), Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department, and the District Administration of Chhatarpur. Additional Chief Secretary (Culture) Shri Shivshekhar Shukla, Director of Culture Shri N.P. Namdev, Collector of Chhatarpur, Shri Parth Jaiswal, and Director of the Ustad Alauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy, Shri Prakash Singh Thakur, were also present.

Performances on the Inaugural Day

The opening performance was a Kathak recital by Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Sushri Maitreyee Pahari and her troupe from Delhi. The renowned dancer and choreographer presented the dance drama ‘Pratishtha: Invocation of the Eternal Elements’, dedicated to the five elements — earth, water, fire, air and sky, the forces that sustain life and creation. Through graceful movements and expressive abhinaya, the performers embodied these eternal elements symbolising balance, energy and harmony. The sacred beginning gradually led the audience toward the divine presence of Lord Krishna, the eternal guide of righteousness, love and compassion.

The Many Forms of Shiva in a Dream

Following the Kathak presentation, Sushri Anuradha Venkataraman from Chennai began her Bharatanatyam recital with a Mangalacharan, depicting the majestic appearance of Lord Shiva in a dream. The composition was set in Raga Hamsadhwani and Adi Tala by Lalgudi R. S. Ganesh. In this piece, the heroine envisions Shiva in various divine forms. The lyrics were drawn from the poetry of Goswami Tulsidas and set to music by Deepti Srinath.

Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

The next performance was an Odissi recital titled Abhedam by Sushri Shubhada Varadkar from Bhubaneswar. Inspired by the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, Abhedam explores the profound non-dualistic doctrine that proclaims the essential unity of the individual soul and the Supreme.

Performances on the Second Day

On the second day of the 52nd Khajuraho Dance Festival, scheduled for 21 February 2026 from 6:30 PM onwards, performances will include Kathak by Shri Vishwadeep (Delhi), Chhau by Shri Prabhat Mehto (Jharkhand), and Bharatanatyam by Sushri Akmaral Kaina Rova (Kazakhstan).