Dhanu Yatra: World's Biggest Open Theatre Performance

By Author: Abinash Das
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The 'Dhanu Jatra' festival is considered the world's big open-air theatre. This famous festival began on Tuesday in Western Odisha in the Bargarh district. It is the commencement of the 11-day festival. In strong belief, Dhanu Yatra marks the victory of good over evil. It came into existence in Bargarh district in 1947-48 as part of the country's Independence celebration and is held annually.

On the occasion of Dhanu Jatra, the Bargarh district is transformed into Mathura Nagari. This big event is organized over 30 sq. km. ver 110 actors magically and smoothly retells the mythological stories incorporating the childhood of Lord Krishna and how the evil king Kansa meets his death at Krishna's hands. In 2022, Hrusikesh Bhoi plays the Kansa role at Dhanu Yatra. Magnificent seated on a bedecked elephant, the glittering and colorfully attired, often breaks into hysterical laughter and yells at passers-by while twirling his mustache that looks to get bushier this year.

Mr. Hrusikesh (Kansa) lives a life like King Kansa, the mythological demon king, and he rules the petite Western Odisha town of Bargarh. This place turns ...
... into Mathura Nagari, his kingdom, for 11 days every year. King Kansa rules from an embellished open-air platform called Raj Darbar. 6 km from his court is the Ambapalli village, considered Gopapur according to the mythical, on the banks of the River Jeera, which turns to the role of River Yamuna. Samrat and Kisan, two schoolboys, act out the roles of Krishna and Balaram, respectively. They crack a lot of jokes and play childhood pranks in Ambapalli. In another part of Bargarh district at Adimata Temple near Khajurtikra, preparations and decorations are on in full swing to celebrate the arrival of Lord Krishna in Mathura from Gopalpur.

How local people abide by the festival:

People of Ambapalli don't eat meat for the 11 days during the Dhanu Jatra and each and every family washes the feet of Lord Krishna and Balaram. They pay obeisance to the gods (Krishna and Balaram) who are believed to have incarnated in the form of real gods from the mythological age. According to the tale, this world-famous festival was first conceptualized about 150 years ago. At that time some great devotees of Krishna found similarities in the geographical area of Bargarh in Odisha i.e. Ambapalli village and River Jeera with Brindavan, Mathura, Gopa, and River Yamuna. But an organized big open-theatre Dhanu Yatra festival began only in 1948.

Some Important Key Points About Dhanu Jatra
This popular festival of Odisha is performed every year at the end of the paddy harvesting, the vital crop of the locality. Every year it starts on the 5th day of ‘Pousasukla’ to end on ‘Pousapurnima’.

According to some of the arrangers, the locals found plenty of resonance during the first celebration of the World famous Dhanu Yatra as they drew symbolic parallels between the fight for freedom of India from the rule of the British with the victory of Lord Krishna, the paradigm of truth, righteousness and justice over devil Kansa who personifies wickedness and arrogance.

• The Bargarh District Collector, Ministers, and the Superintendent of Police are daily summoned by Kansa, the king of Mathura to his darbar on the illuminated stand-by stage
• They are submissive to King Kansa and they provide accounts of the welfare works and whatever they have accomplished in the area
• Some useful works are done by King Kansa during his 11 days ruling tenure
• Spread some good social message
• Kansa orders drivers not to consume alcohol while driving
• Two lakh gold coins for not keeping the bathrooms clean in the bus terminal

As many as twenty-one (21) place such as Commercial Centers, Cultural, Ponds, Rivers, and Temples become open-air stages where numerous exciting episodes are enacted. World famous Dhanu Yatra gives an opportunity for local artists to perform their talents and skills. More than 3, 000 folk dancers, singers, and professional artists from 130 groups perform during 11 days. The tremble Dhanu Yatra is related to the culture of Odisha. This year, the festival is held from 27th December 2023 to 6th January 2023.

You can enjoy the excitement and mythological program in Odisha News like at Argus News. You can also enjoy Live TV, YouTube, and our news bulletin.

About Author:
Abinash is a renowned journalist and has possessed decades of experience. He mostly covers Odisha Dhanu Jatra News. In addition he has special interest in blogging. For recent few years, he has been contributing quality pieces for Argus News Live TV.

Abinash is a passionate digital marketing specialist. He is digitally savvy and loves to learn new things about the world of digital technology useful information.