Bhubaneswar: Srjan's two-day cultural festival called Antardrishti began on Monday.

The dance festival is a tribute by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and the Bhubaneswar-based school to its founder, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, on his 92nd birth anniversary.

The programme began with a violin recital by Sarada Prasanna Das from Varanasi. This was followed by individual presentations in Odissi by Rahul Acharya and Sujata Mohapatra. A group dance by Srjan gave an apt tribute to the doyen of Odissi.

The perfect learning was evident in their performances. The entire Srjan troupe displayed their precision in the chauka, tribhangi, the basic positions of Odissi, bhramari or pirouette and swinging body movements.

"Every little intricacy added to their presentation and enabled the dancers to do justice to the choreography. It was a treat to the eyes," said Monalisa Jena, a dance enthusiast.

A Hindustani vocal recital by Kshitiprakash Mohapatra accompanied on the tabla by Biswaranjan Nanda and on the mardala by Arup Das will be staged on Tuesday.

This will be followed by a presentation in Odissi by Rajashri Praharaj and a duet by Leena Nanda and Bharati Mishra. A group presentation by Rudraksya Foundation will conclude the fest.

Odissi dancer Mona Mohanty, said: "It is high time the government came forward to gather the direct disciples of the guru and record the recitals to make sure that the original essence of the dance form is archived for future."