Bhubaneswar: The Cuttack Bali Jatra has not received national status as the Centre is yet to take a final decision on the matter, said BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray today.

The Union Ministry of Culture has clarified that the matter does not fall under its jurisdiction and would require the consideration of the Prime Minister. The Union Culture Minister acknowledged the significance of Bali Jatra and opined that it deserves national status, the MP said.

Expressing hope, Samantaray said, “We expect the Prime Minister to take a decision on granting national status to Bali Jatra. Until then, our efforts will continue.”

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, had said that Bali Jatra facilitates cultural exchange between Odisha and other states, promoting cross-cultural understanding. The fair also provides a platform for traditional Odia artists, craftsmen and musicians to showcase their skills which help to revive and promote Odia Culture.

"Bali Jatra is a festival that commemorates the maritime trade and cultural exchange between Odisha and Southeast Asian countries, particularly Bali. The festival is celebrated annually in Cuttack, Odisha, and attracts millions of visitors. The term Bali Jatra literally means ‘Voyage to Bali’. Every year Kartika Purnima marks the day that the seafaring traders departed for the Indonesian islands. For this festival, the people of Odisha gather in large numbers in colourful attire to celebrate their glorious maritime history. The celebration features grand fairs, elaborate rides, food and dance. Indian women perform ‘Boita Bandana’, they make boats of paper or banana leaf (sholapith) with lighted lamps inside and float them down the Mahanadi as a part of the celebrations. The Bali Jatra celebrates the ingenuity and skill of those expert sailors who made Kalinga, one of the most prosperous empires of its time," the minister said in the Rajya Sabha.