On Monday, January 15, the annual Dhanu Yatra started in Odisha’s Bargarh city. Widely regarded as the world’s largest open-air theatre, the festival celebrates the childhood of Lord Krishna in a unique way.
Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari inaugurated the festival on Monday. On the inaugural night, artists showcased the wedding of Maharaj Basudev and Devaki. King Kansa, the brother of Mata Devaki, hears a divine prophecy that he will be killed at the hands of his nephew, the child of the very same sister whose wedding procession he is carrying out.
As per Hindu legends, the theatre then showcased an infuriated Kansa usurping his father Ugrasen’s throne in Mathura and putting his sister Devaki and her husband Basudev in jail.
In this unique festival, the entire city of Bargah is transformed into the legendary ‘Mathura Nagri’, the capital of Kansa’s kingdom and Krishna’s birthplace. The Jeera River is made into Yamuna and the adjoining village of Ambapali, on the other side of the Jeera River, becomes ‘Gop and Vrindavan’, where the child Krishna and Balram grow in Nanda and Yashoda’s household.
Bargarh’s Dhanu Yatra is unique in several ways. During the 11-day-long festivities every year, Kansa Maharaj, or rather the artist playing the Kansa Maharaj, becomes the de-facto ‘ruler’ of the city. Kansa Maharaj even summons the local police officers, DM, and other government officials and ‘orders’ them to perform their duties well.
Government officials also play along, in honour of the festival. They regularly arrive to report to Kansa Maharaj in his Darbar, to provide details of government works and ‘obey’ his orders.
Dhanu Yatra sees Krishna’s childhood enacted in a large-scale, open-air play. Krishna and Balram are welcomed into local households and worshipped. Even the villagers cry when they depart for Mathura. Kansa Maharaj carries out Nagar Parikrama, or tours of the city, like an actual king, and entertains guests at his darbar.
This year, 14 different stages have been built all over the city where Kansa Maharaj will showcase his performance and hold his darbars. On the concluding day, Kansa dies at the hands of his nephew Krishna. The festival will conclude on January 25 this year.
Interestingly, the artist who plays the role of Kansa is the main attraction of this festival. The Dhanu Yatra festival came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48, as per reports, as a part of enthusiastic celebrations for India’s independence.
In another interesting tradition, the artist who plays Kansa embarks on a pilgrimage to Puri after the festivities of Dhanu Yatra are over. As he has to use derogatory and insulting words for Lord Krishna as a part of his roleplaying, the artist takes a holy dip in the sea and visits the Jagannath temple. There he begs forgiveness from Lord Jagannath for his sins.
This year, the 76th edition of this unique open-air theatre is taking place, attracting thousands of visitors from all over Odisha and neighboring states.