Bhubaneswar, Jan. 14: The Mukteswar Dance Festival, a much-awaited annual Odissi event, began today at the 16th century temple in the city.

Organised by Odisha Tourism, the three-day dance festival began before a houseful audience.

The festival will feature solo, duet as well as a group Odissi item every evening. Dancer Rahul Acharya, a disciple of guru Durga Charan Ranbir, performed the solo recital. He staged a unique performance, the Krishna tandav. Acharya's precision was well reflected in his act, and the viewers applauded his performance.

Sneha Manjari Hota and Aniket Pallav Nayak, who performed the duet, were also impressive in their depiction of a sequence dedicated to Lord Shiv. From their co-ordination to the well-executed movements, the dancers' recital had many highlights that kept the crowd glued to their seats.

Veteran danseuse Kumkum Mohanty's group performance was also appreciated. The artistes showed good synchronisation in their performances.

The audience included local people as well as many foreigners. "The setting of the event is as beautiful as the dance form of Odissi. The idea of hosting a serene dance fest in the Mukteswar Temple complex with a group of magnificently built shrines on the backdrop is simply amazing. I loved all the performances," said Susane Rider, a tourist from the US.

"I loved the pure dance compositions that were staged today. There was no fusion but fine movements," said Purnendu Rout, who enjoyed the show.

Earlier, Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya students presented a chorus in Odissi style as an invocatory ritual for Lord Shiv, the presiding deity of the shrine.

Many artistes such as flautist Abhiram Nanda performed live for the dancers.