Khajuraho Fest begins on Feb 25

Bhopal, Feb 15 (UNI) The seven-day Khajuraho Festival of Dance gets underway on February 25, Madhya Pradesh Culture and Public Relations Minister Lakshmikant Sharma said today.

''The event is being organised under the aegis of the Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet Kala Academy and Madhya Pradesh Cultural Council,'' he told reporters here. The dances would be performed on an open stage behind the Chitragupta temple. Coal India Limited is the sponsor and the fest would be telecast live on Doordarshan.

The extravaganza would begin with Oriya Aruna Mohanty's Odisi.

Delhi's Sumita Sharma would perform Kathak that evening. Other performances would include Bharatanatyam by Chennai's Shailaja, Satriya dance by Guwahati's Sarodi Saikya, Odisi by Bhubaneswar's Guru Nabmishra and Kathak by Delhi's Shobhna Narayan.

''A Purva Nritya Samaroh will get underway on February 23 as an added attraction and entry would be free for tourists. A painting worshop on dance and shrines is also scheduled besides lectures by experts,'' Mr Sharma added.

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