Mahadeva Temple, khajuraho

New Delhi: The annual fete of Indian classical dance -- the Khajuraho Festival of Dances, featuring some of the best known dancers and troupes, will be held this year from February 25 to March 3 at the western group of temples, Khajuraho.The temples, classified into three groups-the western group, the eastern group, and the southern group are beautifully sculptured in stone and more than a thousand years old. The sculptures reflect mainly the life, moods and religious faith of that time. 
This classical Indian dance festival has traditionally attracted a huge population of foreigners and connoisseurs of Indian classical dance.

, located about 385 miles (620 kilometers) southeast of Delhi, the capital city of India Being organised this time every year for the past 30 years by the Culture Department of the Madhya Pradesh Government, the classical dance-centric festival attracts tourists from all over the world. The dance festival will begin with a solo performance by the noted Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh.

Odissi - Sonal Mansingh

Other eminent performers in the seven-day festival include

Padatik Dance Centre, Kolkata-Kathak Group,
The famous Kuchipuddi dancing couple of Raja and Radha Reddy along with their group will perform on February 26.
Rukmini Vijay Kumar-Bharatnatyam (solo) - Chennai based dancer.
The International Center for Kathakali and Odissi dancer Sujata Mahapatra present their performances on February 27
Sunayana Hajarilal-Kathak (solo), February 28
Singhjeet Singh Charusija Mathur-Manipuri Group, February 28
Narendra Sharma-Bhoomika Group , March 1
Manjari Chaturvedi-Kathak Group (Sufi style), March 2
Manjari-Chitra Chandrashekhar Bharatnatyam (duet), March 3

Other performers include

• Saroja Vaidhyanthan-Bharatnatyam group
• Alok Kanoongo-Odissi solo ,
• Deepika Reddi-Kuchipudi groups,
• Manjari-Chitra Chandrashekhar Bharatnatyam (duet), March 3
• Bharati Shivaji-Mohiniattm group.

Kuchippudi - Raja and Radha Reddy

Jain also pointed out that this year's dance festival coincided with 50th anniversary of the state being founded.

Addressing the press conference, Mansingh, who will present the inaugural performance at the event, said she was happy to get invited to perform at the festival, coming as it did after a gap of eight years.
"Madhya Pradesh is like home for me. So every time I go there, it is like going back home," she said.

Pointing out that she has been associated with the dance festival since its very inception, Mansingh informed that this is the 31st edition of the annual event.