The Kandariya Mahadev temple in Madhya Pradesh built by the Chandella kings is the largest and the most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group at Khajuraho. It is little wonder that the temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The place and the festival are a tourist’s paradise and a dance aficionado’s.

The Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Academy, and Madhya Pradesh Samskriti Parishad, Bhopal, together held the mega 51^st Khajuraho Festival, 2025, at this historical site. 

This year the festival has found its place in the Guinness Book of World Records for having 139 dancers performing different classical dance forms for 24 hours, 9 minutes, and 26 seconds—coordinated by impresario Pratyush Puru Dadhich of the Dadhich family. Its celebratory performance called ‘Anant’ was conceptualized and composed by percussionist Kaushik Basu, while dance was choreographed by Kathak dancer Prachee Shah Paandya, assisted by Avinav Mukherjee.

Bal Mahotsav, organized by the Department of Culture of Madhya Pradesh with the support of the state’s premiere Natavari Kathak Nritya Academy of Indore, was an added attraction. 15 classical dancers between the ages of 10 and 16 were selected to perform at the festival.

‘Pranam’ on the contributions of Padma Subrahmaniam’s lifetime work was showcased in an exhibition and lectures by scholars and Padma Subramaniam herself. Madhya Pradesh left no stone unturned to disseminate knowledge of Bharata Nritya and its founder’s toil. For those present, Padma Subrahmaniam opened a window for examining our deep cultural heritage. 

‘Kala Varta’ was yet another new feature that was added to the Khajuraho Dance Festival. Several lectures on temple architecture by ASI experts, including Shivakant Vajpeyi, were enriching. Kathaka Rajni Rao, a teacher at the Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, delivered two lecture demonstrations on the topic of temple and dance.

Khajuraho hosted a number of talented performers practicing different classical dance forms across the country. Practitioners from Madhya Pradesh like Kamna Nayek, a Bharatanatyam performer, and Kathak dancer Palak Patwardhan were given slots in the prestigious Khajuraho festival.  

This year connoisseurs of dance witnessed Mohini Attam exponent Bharati Shivaji perform Bala Ganapaty, Mukhachalam. Oman tingal kitavu by Irayiman Thampi and an Astapadi in Sopanam Sangeetham completed the treat. Though these pieces have been featured many a time by many renowned dancers, one never tires of seeing them time and again, such is their allure.

Mohiniyattam practitioner Pallavi Krishnan’s outstanding piece Chinta Visayata Sita - philosophical musings of Sita-was thought provoking and very well conceptualized. Pallavi’s love for this beautiful lasya dance form of Kerala has drawn her to the state and made it her adopted home. Aaj ayi Shyam mohana, a composition of Swati Tirunal performed solo, displayed bhakti sringara. 

International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, and Sadanam K. Harikumar of Kerala regaled the audience with their Kathakali performances. The former performed Krishnarjun, while the latter performed Kalyana saugandhikam, both favourites of Kathakali dancers. Their costumes, makeup, and music composition gave a larger-than-life appearance to the epic personalities of the Mahabharata - Krishna, Arjun, Bhima, and Draupadi.

In Kalyana saugandhikam, Bhima’s pride of being the strongest was humbled by Hanuman. In his quest for the sweet-smelling saugandhikam blossom for Draupadi, Bhima undertook a long and dangerous journey. But he was confronted by the might of his older sibling Hanuman, who had blocked his path, which the mightiest Bhima could do little about. This had a humbling effect on Bhima. The piece had enough and ample scope for improvisation, unfortunately since it was the last presentation of the second evening, when the weather had turned unbearably chilly and many were obliged to leave.

The excellent abhinaya that Kathakali is famous for was not clearly visible because the performance area was quite a distance away from the audience. 

The sisters Kalyani and Vaidehi Phagre, Odissi dancers from Madhya Pradesh, mesmerized the audience, keeping true to the tradition of Odissi, as did Pravat Kumar Swain, schooled in the Gangadhar Pradhan style of Odissi. Pravat Kumar Swain presented Rasa-vichitraa, which was about the nine rasas, or emotions, centering around the stories of Shiva, Parvaty, and Ganesha. 

There was much drama unfolding in delineating the rasas. For example, there was blood and gore in the decapitating of Ganesha’s head by Siva, which was vibhatsa rasa. Siva’s transplantation of the head of an elephant on Ganesha gave the rasikas a glimpse of adbhuta rasa. Each of the rasas were thus linked innovatively from the life incidents of the trio. Nityananda Mishra’s script and the strains of ragamalika gave the piece its required flavour. Sukant Kumar Kundu’s music composition and Dhaneswar Swain’s rhythm composition lifted the piece to aesthetic heights.

 At every turn of our lives, our Sastras show us the way.

The piece Sada ripu by Swain delineated the six enemies of our mind - kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), mada (ego, arrogance), moha (attachment), and mascharyam (jealousy)—that lead to man’s ruination. The dance piece was both educational and entertaining.

The grand finale of Swain’s recital, Om Nama bhagavate Basudevaya prayed for the salvation of human beings. Creative choreographer Ratikant Mohapatra performed an innovative style of Odissi with his troupe. His repertory members displayed perfection in the taught technique of Odissi, which guru Ratikant has named ‘neo-classical.’

“The piece Madhu Sangeetam was born from a desire to explore the lyrical and rhythmic essence of Odissi in a way that feels both immersive and transcendent” said Ratikant Mohapatra, who also added that the inspiration came from the interplay of melody (sangeetam) and the intoxicating beauty of movement (madhu), where dance becomes an extension of music itself. It was a bold experiment, not for the sake of innovation alone, but to deepen the sensory and emotional impact of Odissi while staying true to its spirit.

According to the choreographer, Jeevana Madhu Sangeeta Maya is a completely experimental piece, both musically and in terms of movement, based on Odissi dance. The decision to integrate the saxophone was driven by a deep quest about how diverse musical textures could enhance the emotional and rhythmic depth of the dance. While the saxophone is traditionally associated with Western music, it has also been structurally adapted for Indian classical music, particularly for playing Carnatic ragas by the renowned vidwan Kadri Gopalnath. The integration of the saxophone in Jeevana Madhu Sangeeta Maya is a nuanced artistic choice.

Vande suryam rounded off his recital. Manipuri exponent Darshana Jhaveri—a name to reckon with—and the troupe’s grace and excellence were an aesthetic joy.   Darshanaben’s whole life has been spent in re-establishing guru Bipin Singh's Gharana of Manipuri Dance Style.

Along with her disciples, Darshana Jhaveri presented a bouquet of dance pieces composed by Bipin Singh and choreographed by her and her prime disciple, Sanjib Bhattacharya, from the USA.

Together they performed Rasleela in traditional costumes, festival dances like cymbal dances, and the ever-fascinating drum playing in different ways. Darshana Jhaveri and Sanjib Bhattacharya, both established Manipuri dancers, gave a scintillating performance in Manbhanjan as Radha and Krishna. Purbita, Susmita and Tanmana presented Prabandha nartan, composed on Swarnamala, Indian musical notes followed by words like ‘dim’, ‘tom’, which do not convey any meaning. It was composed on tala Surfak of 10 beats and Tanchep of four beats.

In this festival a bouquet of a few short compositions directed by Manipuri Nartanalaya under the direction of Kalavati Devi and Bimbavati Devi was offered as a tribute to the almighty. Manipur is perhaps the only state in India where dance and music are a way of life.

During the month of ‘Ashadha,’ Kaang Chingba, or Rathayatra, is celebrated with much grandeur with singing and dancing in Manipur. This dance has been choreographed using the elements that are typically used and performed during Rathayatra in Manipur. It comprises the verses of Kavi Jayadeva's Dasavatar and other Manipuri devotional songs through which the devotees hail Lord Krishna.

Shiva Vandana, taken from Shiva Panchakshara was an invocation to Lord Shiva followed by Namah Krishnaya where Vishnu takes birth for the redemption of mankind. Bimbavati Devi  was at her best in performing it solo. The last piece Purna Purushottam was about Vishnu. Dancers - Arpita Saha, Ivana Sarkar, Parna Chakraborty, Mousam Nandi, Kaushik Roy, Noel Datta and Bimbavati Devi retold the stories in the Manipuri Dance language.

When the festival was on its third day the unchartered entry of Tatiana Nazarova and Eleonara Petrova- Kathak dancers from Moscow- as opening dancers prolonged the evening.  The duo performed Lucknow Gharana Kathak. Well trained as they were, their performance was enthralling. They had the technicalities of the form under their control and mesmerized the audience.

Kuchipudi exponent Deepika Reddy and her troupe stole the show at the festival. Along with her senior disciples Ruthvika Nalamalapu, Shloka Reddy, Haritha Chowdary, Chetana Buddhiraju, Keerthana Bhimavarapu, Anjali Reddy, Khushi Kamtam, Srujana Vanka and Srilatha Kasineni Deepika Reddy rendered Shiva Parvathi’s marriage. The story, a celebratory piece on eternal beauty Tisra gati and raga Arabhi with the composition of DSV Sastry set the tone of the evening.

Thakkuvemi manaku which followed was a melodious piece with pulsating music composed and written by the renowned poet Ramadasu. Dasavataram of lord Vishnu was presented dramatically in raga Saurashtra and Adi tala.  Rudrama pravesham blended all four abhinayas beautifully with the veera rasa reigning. Rudrama the warrior queen of the Kakatiya dynasty was choreographed as a Paatra Pravesha Daruvu. King Ganapati Deva brought up Rudrama as a son who later became a monarch or rather a valiant queen; Rudrama, an ardent devotee of Goddess Bhadrakaali, venerated Devi Kalika by chanting a few verses from Kalikashtakam. The character was brought alive on stage by Shloka Reddy whose unbelievable transformation as Rudrama Pravesham in Samudrapriya and Dhenuka raga was awe inspiring.

Madhuram Madhuram was the jewel of a presentation on Lord Krishna’s divine and playful activities. Dancers on brass plates executing rhythmic sequences looked ethereal on a moonlit night.    

Chhau Dance exponent Sashadhar Acharya included all three styles of Chhau Dance-Seraikela, Mayurbhanj and Purulia to choreograph and present Mahanayak garuda.  The mythological story of Garuda was brought alive on stage with great twists and turns. It was an extravaganza rarely seen performed on stage.

Kathakar Aditi Mangaldas' Samvet, performed on the 4th day of the festival was about the confluence of the five elements of nature that unite to coalesce in complete harmony was aesthetic. It made a very pleasant inroad into the hearts of the rasikas. Samvet was poetry in movement. “On this earth, we stand; unvanquished, un-slain, unhurt; as the rains arrive, we flow with it, into the rivers and oceans and into the depths of love; every whiff brings a message from the All Powerful; He is strength who grants us physical, mental and moral strength; we mortals know not your vastness, neither your end, nor middle nor source...as we traverse the cosmos within the sparkling stars”-was translated into the Kathak language.

Dancers Aditi Mangaldas, Dheerendra Tiwari, Anindita Acharjee, Deepannita Sarkar, Harendra Kumar Bhushan,Gaurav Javda and Gaurav Shreedhar were the dancers who made the evening.

Shovna Narain’s presentation of Onkareswar, depicting the wedding of Shiva, was performed on the eve of Maha Shivratri. The interweaving of the themes of life and death was powerfully conveyed. Shovna Narain’s storytelling through the theme of Shiva-Parvati resonated with the devout. Surya was an equally marvellous and soul-stirring piece. An excellent performer, she left a lasting impression on the audience.

Katha Kathan, or the art of storytelling—long neglected is being revived by Puru Dadhich and was to be performed by Kathak practitioners Sunil Sunkara and Piyush Raj. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, Kathaka Piyush Raj and Odissi dancer Mitali Varadkar came together in a duet to narrate the engrossing mythological story of Shiva Parvathi parinay.

The inclusion of Sattriya dance was a highlight of the festival. Jatin Goswami’s troupe presented pieces from Ankiya nat. Bhakti bhava and rasa, alongside Shuddha nritya, were expressed through Sutradhari nach. Jhumura nritya held a special place as part of Assam’s folklore, showcasing its vibrant traditions and customs. Priya Madhav and the nine rasas were beautifully captured. Seujpriya Goswami emerged as the star performer of the team.

The presentation of Shivastuti by veteran grandmasters of Kuchipudi, Raja Radha Reddy and troupe brought the festival to a fitting close.

Photos by Shesh Mani Mishra