CM opens Bali Jatra, enhances grant to Rs 10 cr

Cuttack: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday inaugurated the famous Bali Jatra festival on the banks of the Mahanadi river here, celebrating the State’s ancient maritime heritage. Inaugurating the week-long fair, Majhi announced an increase in the government grant for the festival from Rs 2 crore to Rs 10 crore.

He also said the State government has prepared a comprehensive plan for beautification of Cuttack’s Mahanadi riverfront at a cost of Rs 200 crore under the Mahanadi River Front Scheme. Describing Bali Jatra as the living memory of the pride, courage and commercial history of Odisha, Majhi said the government is committed to preserving this legacy. Cuttack, known as the Silver City, will be developed into a silver filigree hub, he added.

“The State government is making efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the historic Bali Jatra. Development works of Odisha’s pride, Barabati Fort and Gadakhai, have already begun, and projects for Dhabaleswar Pitha and Nandi Kishore Pitha on the Mahanadi bank will also be taken up soon,” the Chief Minister said. Majhi also unveiled a souvenir on the occasion and the Cuttack district administration will distribute 1 lakh copies of it.

The Bali Jatra, one of the largest open-air fairs in Asia, will continue for seven days till November 12, an official said. The festival’s theme is ‘Aama Bhasha Aama Sahitya’ (Our Language, Our Literature), highlighting the significance of Odia language and literature.

For the first time, the “Cuttack-In-Cuttack” pavilion has been entirely dedicated to showcasing Odia literary works, writers and the evolution of the language through the ages, the official said. The Jatra is held in remembrance of the sea sailing tradition of Odia ‘Sadhabas’ (traders) who used to go on sea voyages for trade to places like erstwhile Bali, Java and Sumatra in vessels called ‘Boita’.

The traders in ancient days set out for the long journey on Kartika Purnima. “To commemorate that glorious event, Odisha observes this Bali Jatra fair in Cuttack,” the official said. The fair is spread over more than 20 acres, on two fairgrounds with 2,500 makeshift stalls, the official said. The district administration and the police have made elaborate arrangements for the fair.