Rashtriya Baal Nritya Mahotsav — National Children's Dance Festival, Khajuraho

The Rashtriya Baal Nritya Mahotsav is a national-level classical dance festival for children held annually as part of the Khajuraho Dance Festival at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho Group of Temples in Madhya Pradesh. Organized by the Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Evam Kala Akademi under the Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh, the festival provides young classical dancers a prestigious national platform.

Participants aged 10 to 16 trained in any Indian classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi — including Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam — are eligible to apply. Selection involves initial evaluation through video submission followed by review by a distinguished jury of senior classical dancers.

The Mahotsav takes place in February each year, coinciding with the main Khajuraho Dance Festival which runs for approximately seven days. Shortlisted young dancers perform before eminent jurors and audiences alongside India's finest classical dance artists, offering a rare platform for emerging talent to gain national visibility.