Odisha: Stage set for a grand Bali Yatra after two years of Covid hiatus

Priya Ranjan Swain Published On : Nov 7, 2022 at 11:18 PM Updated On : Nov 7, 2022 at 11:13 PM

Cuttack: After a gap of two years, Bali Yatra, the biggest trade fair in Odisha, is all set to kick off on the banks of Mahanadi river here on the full moon day of holy month of Kartika tomorrow (November 8).

The Cuttack district administration and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) have made an elaborate arrangement for a grand Bali Yatra this year.

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Traders from several states of the country, corporate houses and government agencies have set up their stalls at the trade fair. There will be around 2,000 stalls on the fairground this year, said an official of the district administration.

Thousands of people from several districts of Odisha are likely to visit Bali Yatra to buy household goods, decorative pieces and wooden items. Merry-go-rounds and stalls selling varieties of toys will be the main attraction for children. There will be around 500 food stalls to cater to the visitors, he added.

The trade fair will continue till November 14. Several cultural troupes from across the state and outside are scheduled to perform at Bali Yatra, which celebrates the glorious maritime history of Odisha. The civic authorities have made adequate arrangements for the parking of vehicles at the fairground, sources said.

Notably, the Odisha government had accorded state festival tag to Bali Yatra a few years ago.

The trade fair could not be held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.