(From top) Performance by Poushali Mukherjee and her group, Odissi recital by Bijayani Satpathy and Surupa and Padmashree Madhavi Mudgal performs at the Mukteswar Dance Festival. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 16: The three-day Mukteswar Dance Festival organised by Orissa Tourism concluded on Sunday evening in the capital. Acclaimed dancers as well as promising young artistes showcased Odissi recitals and musical compositions.

On the inaugural day, students from the Utkal University of Culture regaled the audience with a chorus on Lingastakam. Danseuse Illeana Citaristi’s composition — Sharanam—had a unique script.

The dance drama revolved around three iconic females belonging to different religions and regions as well as different periods in history. Each of them was socially looked down upon and yet with strong spirituality they transformed into great devotees.

Citaristi played Pingala from the Hindu mythology, Amrapalli, a court dancer who later turned a Buddhist devotee and Mary Magdalene from Christian mythology.

This sequence was followed by a duet by dancers from Nrityagram, Bangalore, Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa. The duo presented a repertoire that included a Rutu Basanta Pallavi on Raga Basanta, describing the beauties of spring.

Next was the composition called ‘Bibhakta’ in which the two graceful dancers presented the concept of unity as well as individuality of Shiva and Parvati. The renditions of the first day concluded with a performance by Guru Durga Charan Ranbir and his disciples on a Devi Aradhana, Sapta Matruka.

The major attraction of Saturday evening was the recital by Guru Keluchran Mohapatra’s disciple and well-known dancer Madhavi Mugdal from New Delhi.

She started her performance with a Shiva Vandana and then went on to present a Hansadhwani Pallavi and later an abhinaya on a Radha-Krishna’s tale of romance.

Vocalist Keshab Chandra Rout and his disciples from Omkar presented a Shiva Tandava while dancers Aurosmita Acharya and Sangyan Suchitra Patnaik presented a Kalabati pallavi and an abhinaya on ‘Shyama Shree Ange’.

Danseuse Poushali Mukherjee and her troupe from Calcutta also performed a piece from Gita Govinda.

Like the first two days, the last day also showcased a collage of performances.

Danseuse Meera Das and her disciples from the Gunjan Dance Academy, Cuttack, presented a repertoire while dancer Shibani Patnaik from USA presented a solo and Lucky Pragyan Mohanty and Purnashree Rout from Cuttack presented a duet.

“The spiritual ambience of the Mukteswar mandapa with numerous temples in the backdrop blended magically with the enchanting recitals of Odissi music and dance by the artistes,” said a viewer, Surendra Patnaik.