Khairagarh
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Khairagarh
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Where an entire universe of art, culture and heritage colours the spirit.
Located just 140km from Raipur and 40km from Dongargarh, Khairagarh is famous for the Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya. Very rich in cultural heritage, Khairagarh is a tranquil place, which complements the musical and academic fervour of the university. Raja Birendra Bahadur Singh and Rani Padmavati Devi - the then rulers of Khairagarh princely estate were the inspiration behind the inception of this unique university which is named after their beloved daughter, Princess Indira. The pride of Asia, this university is the only one dedicated to music and art in the continent. Princess Indira was an ardent lover of art and extremely passionate about music. After her untimely demise, Raja Birendra Bahadur Singh and Rani Padmavati Devi felt that a university dedicated to music and art should be constructed to keep her passion alive forever. For this noble cause, the king donated his own palace, the Kamal Vilas Mahal. Located amidst luxurious green fields of cotton and various other plantations, Khairagarh is a culturally rich land of great historic wealth. Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya was established in the year 1944 and gained the status as a University in the year 1956.
The University is situated in the Central Part of India in Khairagarh, Chhattisgarh. Khairagarh is surrounded by three rivers and provides a tranquil and serene atmosphere to the student-artists. The campus of this University presents a rare example of fraternity and brotherhood. Teachers and students of different faculties are from different parts of the country and various cultural backgrounds. Their presence at the campus makes the Khairagarh town a real heterogeneous place. Constructed after independence, the university is not only famous in India, but also accepts students from abroad. Today, 46 other universities are connected to the Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya.
The Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya provides courses on various subjects related to music and dance. Excellent apparatus is provided to researchers in the said field too. The syllabus covers various courses like classical music (including Hindustani and Carnatic Music), Indian Classical Instrumental (Sitar, Violin, Sarod, Tabla, Carnatic Violin, Veena and many more), Indian Classical Dance and Vocal music. Researchers and art enthusiasts can explore Traditional Sculpture art, Visual art, Modern Sculpture art and Painting.
Main musical instruments like Tabla, Pakhavaj, Mridanga and styles like Hindustani Khayal, Dhrupad, Thumri, and many more are taught here. The Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya has a wonderful gallery complete with a variety of instruments from all over the world. Along with that, tourists and students are equally mesmerized by a gallery that showcases the oldest Tribal Visual Art and complete collections of renowned artists. A book library of around 43000 volumes catering to different art forms and their various video tapes can be found in the Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya.
The university is popular for awarded honorary doctorates to music and art maestros like Shri Pandit Ravishankar (Sitar), Rukmini Devi Arundale (Dance), Allauddin Khan (Sitar), Lata Mangeshkar (Singing), S. Subbalakshmi (Carnatic Music), and Pappu Jaykar. The motto engraved on the institution's emblem reads, “Sus-swarah Santu Sarve-api” i.e., May all live in Tune. It defines the wider aim of the apex institution of music and arts of our country. The objectives of the university are to make provisions for research and advancement of studies in Music and Fine Arts and dissemination of knowledge in the said arena.
Gandai
Just 30km away from Khairagarh is the small town of Gandai. A beautiful 13th century AD Shiva Temple of the Kawardha Faninaag Kalin dynasty is worth a visit here. The local folks call it Deur. Artistically crafted, this temple is a living testimony of the beautiful Faninaag Kalin sculpture art. Just a little away from Gandai is the Ghatiyari Village, where the remains of a Shiva Temple are found. There is a Mandapa, Antraal, and Garbha Griha in this Panchayatan Style temple. The Natraj and Tripuratnak Shiva idols found here are extremely unique. The various temples in Gandai are famous tourist attractions for their sanctity, beauty and architectural brilliance. The exquisitely carved walls and ceilings of the rock cut temples of Gandai portray the development of art and architecture of the local craftsman of the region. Apart from being important places of religious worship, the beautiful temples represent the skilled craftsmanship of the ancient times.
Far from the maddening crowd, the serene and calm surrounding of Gandai provides relief from the stress and strains of daily mundane life. The splendid architectural monuments inspire a sense of awe among the modern day architects. The beautiful temples of the city of Gandai can truly be called the marvels of ancient times that add to the glory and grandeur of Gandai. Accommodation: Shelters and Dharmashalas are available here along with, hotels and guest houses at Rajnandgaon.
HOW TO REACH
By Air
Raipur (140kms) is the nearest airport well connected to Mumbai, Delhi, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ranchi, Vishakhapatnam and Chennai.
By Rail
Rajnandgaon and Dongargarh (40km) are the nearest railway stations on the Bombay- Howrah main line.
By Road
Local taxis and private vehicles are available for transport from Rajnandgaon.
