Bargarh district Collector Indramani Tripathy has launched a website for the famous Dhanu Yatra, http://www.bargarhdhanuyatra.nic.in, to help people know details about the unique festival of western Odisha.
Dhanu Yatra Mahotsav Samiti secretary Sureswar Satapathy, ADM Bargarh Tapiram Majhi andother senior officials were present.
Tripathy gave out details on the festival which started 70 years back on January 12, 1948 and has turned to be a distinguished festival, different from all other festivals of the country.
It’s a festival of both folk and classical elements enacted in an open arena of 5 km radius of Bargarh town. This Jatra is nothing but a theatrical presentation of Krishna Leela that brings the old myth alive. Scenes from the dethrone of King Ugrasena by Yuvraj Kansa, marriage of Devaki to Basudev till the
death of Kansa staged for a period of 11 days starting from Pausa Shukla Panchami to Pausa Purnima with great pomp and show, grace and grandeur.
The city of Bargarh is treated as “Mathura”, the Zeera river as “Yamuna” and Ambapali village on the other bank of the river becomes “Gopapura”.
The uniqueness of this festival is that the whole theatre is played lively on different fourteen important open stages (place/venues) in Bargarh city.
Mythological scenes like Gopalila, Kaliya Dalana, Jamalarjun Bhanjan, Bastraharana, Dahichori enacted at “GOPA” (Ambapali), the Kubuja Uddhar, Nabakeli, Sudama Mali Veta (meet of Sudama Mali with Krishna Balaram) Rajaka Uddhar are held at “Mathura” (Bargarh).
The live elephant engaged for the Nagara parikrama of Kansa and the chariot made for Akrura’s visit to Gopa attract visitors the most.