Revision as of 17:04, 8 February 2017

Dhanu Yatra

(January)

Dhanu Yatra is world's biggest, open air theatre is held at Bargarh in the western part of Odisha. The town, which has a population of about lakhs spread over a few square miles, turns in to a unique epic town of Mathura for 11 days festival known locally as Dhanu Yatra. It sends a message that the definition of good and evil remains unchanged throughout the generations. The Yatra takes place in first week of January, where the sleepy town turns festive and the whole town becomes a stage where people depict mythology into a religion. The uniqueness of the festival lies in the fact that all the episodes of ‘Kans Vadh’ (The killing of Kans) takes place in different parts of the town making it the largest open air theatre in the world.

During the festival Bargarh awakes to the vibrations of drums, bugles and shenenais. Bargarh becomes Mathura Puri as it was called some 5,000 years ago. The neighboring Amapali village becomes “Gopapura”, the place Krishna immortalized with the “Bala Lilla” The river Jeera which flows between Bargarh and Amapali becomes “Yamuna” for the time being.

It is a conglomeration of several open-air theaters, with the action taking place simultaneously at different stages. Both actors and audiences move from place to place according to the requirements of a particular scene.

The festival not only re-enacts mythology but also provides amusement to the people. As Kansa goes around the city every day the people regardless of, who they are bow before him. The District Collector and Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and other administrative officials who visit Kans Darbar are treated as the King’s employees and local MLAs, MPs Ministers are projected as his representatives.