1. Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh
The most famous dance festival in India, the Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in the Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh, India. The festival is organized by the Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad usually in the month of February. The festival lasts for one week and bookings must be made months ahead. The Khajuraho temples are lit up during the festival and provide a spectacular backdrop to the dance performances. The different Indian dance forms like Kathak, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, and others are performed by the expert dancers. The festival thus highlights the great diversity of Indian classical dance forms. The performances usually take place in an open-air auditorium in front of the Vishvanatha and Chitragupta temples in the complex.
In 2019, the festival is scheduled to take place from February 25 to March 3.
You can visit this link to know more about the festival: http://holyvoyages.com/khajuraho-madhya-pradesh/schedule-khajuraho-dance-festival-2019-madhya-pradesh-india.aspx
2. Mukteshwar Dance Festival, Odisha
This dance festival is held in the Bhubaneswar city of Orissa. It takes place on the grounds of the 10th century Mukteshwar temple. The dance festival is held annually in the month of January. The festival celebrates the Odissi dance form.
3. Natyanjali Festival, Tamil Nadu
This annual dance program is held on the grounds of the more than 1000-year-old Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu. It honors the presiding deity of the temple, Lord Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva. The festival begins on the Maha Shivaratri day. The temple’s gateway to the east indicates ancient India’s association with dance as it bears the carvings of the 108 poses of the Bharatanatyam dance form.
Learn more about this festival here: https://www.indianholiday.com/fairs-and-festivals/tamil-nadu/natyanjail-dance-festivals.html
4. Bamnia Chhau Dance Festival, West Bengal
The Purulia district in West Bengal is well-known for its indigenous dance forms, especially the Chhau folk dance. This dance form is most notable for the handcrafted, dramatic and vibrant masks worn by its dancers. The Chhau dance form is performed in the dance-drama style where a story is enacted through dance. It involves martial art like movements and energetic dancing. Many hotels in Purulia offer the opportunity to visitors to enjoy such dance performances in exchange of payment. Such dance performances are also common during local cultural and religious festivals. However, if one wants to experience the true extravaganza of Chhau, a visit to the Bamnia village in Purulia during some specific dates in December will allow one to participate in the Chhau Dance Festival held there. In 2018, the dates for this festival are December 22 to 28. One can also visit the Charida village in the district to see the mask artists prepare the Chhau masks.
5. Mamallapuram Dance Festival, Tamil Nadu
The beach town of Mamallapuram is located near the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The town is famous for its 8th-century shore temple. A dance festival is held here every year in the winter months when celebrated dancers of classical Indian dance forms perform here. The temples in the background create a fitting backdrop to the event.
6. Nishagandhi Dance Festival, Kerala
This is another one of India’s spectacular dance festivals. It is held in the South Indian state of Kerala usually in the month of January. Classical dance and music programs are held here. The festival has a fixed venue at the Nishagandhi Auditorium that is located within the premises of the magnificent Kanakakkunnu Palace. The week-long program includes dances from various genres being held on different days. The festival is scheduled to take place towards the end of January in 2019.
https://www.hellotravel.com/events/nishagandhi-festival-2019
7. Sirpur Music and Dance Festival, Chhattisgarh
This is one of the newest dance festivals in India. It is held in Sirpur, a temple town in Chhattisgarh. Some of the temples here are as old as the 7th century. The festival usually takes place in January and involves both dance and musical performances. Renowned dances from different parts of India perform at this festival. In 2019, the festival will be held from January 16 to 18.
Learn more about this dance festival, click here: https://www.hellotravel.com/events/sirpur-national-dance-and-music-festival-2019
8. Konark Dance Festival, Odisha
This is one of the most popular dance festivals of India. It is held at the venue of the Konark Sun Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The festival lasts for five days and is usually held in the month of December. The festival has been held since 1986 and is a joint venture of the Odisha Tourism and the Odissi Research Centre. It aims to promote the classical dance forms of India. Tourists and culture enthusiasts from all corners of globe travel to Orissa during this time to attend the festival. Details are found here: http://odishatourism.gov.in/?q=node/155
Another dance festival of the same name is also held in Konark in the month of February and is organized by the Konark Natya Mandap. The details are provided here: https://konarkfestival.com
No comments:
Post a Comment