Bhubaneswar, Feb 08 (ANI): The national festival of performing arts or ‘Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav’, to pay tribute to cultural heritage and various dance forms of the country, kicked off in Odisha. The three-day-long ‘Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav’ commenced at the foothills of Dhauli, considered the symbol of peace in Odisha, to mark the attainment of piousness by the famous King Asoka. The festival started off to a captivating and colourful Kathak performance, which is Odisha’s classical dance form, by Aditi Mangaldas. The performers enthralled audience at the festival with folk art forms, classical art forms and martial arts. The festival at Dhauli has been celebrating the country's legacy of cultural co-existence and also helped in increasing the tourism potential of the state.