Raj Durbar (king’s court) being set up at Hatpada in Bargarh | Express
Raj Durbar (king’s court) being set up at Hatpada in Bargarh | Express

Stage set for Bargarh Dhanu Yatra today

Stage is all set for the 11-day open air theatre Dhanu Yatra scheduled to begin from Saturday here.

 BARGARH : Stage is all set for the 11-day open air theatre Dhanu Yatra scheduled to begin from Saturday here. Kansa, who is the central character of the Yatra, will hold his Raj Durbar (king’s court) at Hatpada for seven days and the Raj Durbar will be shifted to Nishamani School Ground from eighth day onwards when the crowd swells up. The significance of this year Yatra is Bhubaneswar Pradhan playing the role of Kansa, who was selected from among 23 aspirants by a jury, while Sriyansh Mohapatra will enact the role of Lord Krishna.

With the central theme of the Yatra borrowed from ‘Krishna Leela and Mathura Vijay’, the enactment of Day One will begin with Kansa’s accession to throne followed by wedding of King Kansa’s sister Devaki with Basudev and conclude with ‘Kansa Badha’ at the hands of his nephew Lord Krishna on the day of Pausa Purnima, slated to be held on January 2.

Similarly, the enactments at Mathura revolves around Kansa, while Balya Leela (fun and frolic) of young Lord Krishna enacted in Gopapur includes Vastra Haran, Kalia Dalan, killing of demon warriors like Putuna, Sakata, Truna, Baka and Dhenu. The enactment at Gopapur ends on the ninth day when Lord Krishna and Balaram arrive at Mathura accompanied by Akrura, a minister of Kansa, to participate in Dhanu Yatra. A visitor has to move around to watch the enactments.

Convenor of Dhanu Yatra Mahotsav Samiti Sureswar Satpathy said all preparations have been made for the 11-day festival. Around 70 artistes will perform various roles in the Dhanu Yatra at Mathura, while about 40 will enact at Gopapur. This apart, as many as 3,000 artistes of 120 cultural troupes across the country will perform at the Raj Durbar and Ranga Mahal during the festival, he added. 

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