Odisha govt announces grant for Bargarh Dhanu Yatra, honorarium to artistes

Bhubaneswar: The Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department of the Odisha government will provide a financial grant of Rs 1 crore for the Bargarh Dhanu Yatra, considered as the largest open-air theatre in the world.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting chaired by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj in the capital city here today.

The Dhanu Yatra is scheduled to be held in Bargarh from December 24 to January 3. Along with the grant, it has been decided to provide an honorarium of Rs 10,000 each to nearly 200 artistes participating in the festival.

To ensure wider outreach, the event will be telecast live through LED screens. The Odisha Paribar Directorate will also arrange LED-screen live telecasts in various states outside Odisha.

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It was further decided to construct Dhanu Yatra–themed welcome gates at major entry points of Bargarh town. Special tourist buses from Bhubaneswar and Puri to Bargarh will be operated during the festival.

According to the state government, a dedicated website will also be there to provide complete information about Dhanu Yatra, including event videos, major landmarks, hotels, parking areas, venue details and integrated GPS-based navigation support. A digital quiz will be hosted on the website to create awareness among students and digital certificates will be issued to participants.

The Culture Minister directed the officials concerned to ensure proper arrangement for Dhanu Yatra including security, fire safety, sanitation, emergency medical services and overall administrative coordination.

The people of Bargarh have been organizing Dhanu Yatra since 1947

Dhanu Yatra represents the glorious journey of Odisha’s rich culture and heritage. During the festival, Bargarh town transforms into ‘Mathura Nagari’, Ambapali area is named ‘Gopapur’ and the Jira river is referred to as the Yamuna river. This year’s Dhanu Yatra will be celebrated in a grand, divine and magnificent manner, said the minister.

The annual festival is celebrated across 7-km radius at Bargarh municipality and its nearby areas. The festival is enacted on the theme of ‘Mathura Vijay’, which depicts the victory of Lord Krishna against his uncle and demon king Kansa.

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The people of Bargarh have been organizing the festival since 1947. Dhanu Yatra was first organised at Bargarh in 1947 to celebrate the independence of India from the British rule, reports said.

Bargarh MP Pradip Purohit, Bijepur MLA Sanat Kumar Gartia, Attabira MLA Nihar Ranjan Mahanand, Bhatli MLA Irashis Acharya, Bargarh MLA Ashwini Kumar Sarangi, Padmapur MLA Barsha Singh Bariha, Development Commissioner cum Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Secretary, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Special Secretary Deba Prasad Dash, Collector Bargarh Aditya Goyal and other senior officials attended the meeting.