Karnataka is a land that has multi religious and different cultural population and so there are a variety of festivals celebrated in the state. Like most of the state’s neighbors, Karnataka too has several temples that are taken into account during any celebrations that are held each year. There are great cultural histories related to South India and Karnataka is also a place that is popular for its festivals that reflect the culture and tradition of the people of the land. The Pattadakal Dance Festival is celebrated every year in the month of January and is organized by the Government of Karnataka.

The History

Pattadakal is a town located in the state of Karnataka, India. It is a famous cultural dance event that is held in the town as it is the place popular for the delicately carved temples that represent the North and the South Indian architectural traditions. The village of Pattadakal is about 20 kms from Badami in Karnataka and is located on the left bank of the Malaprabha river. It has about 10 major temples and all of them are architecturally splendid with beautiful carvings and interesting sculptures on the ceilings and pillars. The temples also represent two chief styles of Indian architecture, the North Indian Nagara style and the Dravidian architecture side by side.

It is said that the kings of the Chalukya dynasty of South India built the temples in the 7^th and 8^th century that are a perfect blend of Indo Aryan and Dravidian style. Out of the 10 temples, four of them are built in the Dravidian style, and six in Nagara style. The place also has a Jain sanctuary surrounded by many small shrines and plinths.

The Dance Festival

The Pattadakal Dance Festival is also popularly known as the Chalukya Dance Festival as Pattadakal is the ancient capital of the Chalukyan Kings. This Nrithyotsava is an event that is organized to revive the beautiful forms of the traditional art that has lost all its glory because of the effects of globalization. The festival is set against the ten beautiful temples of Lord Shiva and is not only a dance celebration, but also celebrates the fabulous architecture of the temples. Some performances are also performed at Aihole and Badami, which are world famous temples. Distinguished dancers from all over the state of Karnakata come to perform in this festival and it is a visual treat to the admirers of dance and music as it reveals the best forms of classical art

The world famous dance festival is a rare event and can be enjoyed for three long days. Tourists from all over the world come to watch the cultural performances through various dance forms that reflects power, dedication towards Lord Shiva. The festival is also a great platform to set the ancient dance form alive. Besides these cultural performances, a fair is also organized where the craftsmen display beautiful pieces of artwork at reasonable prices. The Artisans get this golden opportunity to display their crafts that are usually not found in craft stores and tourists also do not miss the change to take back souvenirs for their relatives and friends.

Once you have enjoyed the famous Pattadakal Dance festival and have watched the breathtaking performances of some of the prominent artists, you can now explore the architectural intricacies of the Sangameshvara temple. Kashiviswanatha temple, Virupaksha Temple, Kadasiddhesvara and Jambulingeshwara temples. Some of the pillars in these temples bear inscriptions that help to get closer to the rich traditional heritage of the state.

Thus, the Pattadakal Dance Festival is the most popular and significant festival of Karnataka that helps people to completely soak them in the traditional dance and music and have a glimpse of the rich Chalukyan art and architecture.