Bhubaneswar, Jan. 19: The precincts of the 11th century Rajarani temple have come alive with classical tunes with famous names in the field of music performing at the ongoing Rajarani Music Festival.

Organised by Odisha Tourism, the top draw during the inaugural evening yesterday was musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt playing his mohan veena.

He began with raga Bihag followed by a number of semi-classical tunes.

With Bhatt's fingers caressing the strings, the open-air auditorium drowned in applause time and again.

"His music was treat to the ears," said Manjari Banerjee, a visitor from Calcutta, who came only to hear Bhatt play.

Hindustani classical singer Rashid Khan performed a number of intricate ragas exploring various notes. Khan then swung into the poignant Yaad Piya Ki Aaye, the famous thumri by Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, lulling the audience into musical bliss.

Khan, an exponent of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, was accompanied by Subhankar Banerjee on the tabla and Jyoti Goho on the harmonium.

On the second day today, young singer Rupak Kumar Parida rendered Odissi music including rendition of the Jayadev ashtapadi. The enthralling recitals by popular singer Suresh Wadkar lifted the spirits of the audience. He performed a wide range of ragas. A number of musicians, music lovers, scholars, youngsters and foreign tourists attended the event.

"The feeling of enjoying music in a winter evening is enchanting. The singers and musicians provide a learning experience fro amateur singers like us," said Sai Ram, a former student of Utkal University of Culture.

The closing evening will showcase Odisha's veteran Hindustani vocalist Pandit Debendra Narayan Satpathy. Also, a violin recital by N. Rajam is on cards.

The concert is being telecast live on DD Bharati.