BALI JATRA

Nov. 23, 2018

This year’s Bali Yatra festival has been extended by two days to coincide with the inaugural ceremony (November 28) of the World Cup Hockey to be played in Bhubaneswar.

About:

Names: Bali Jatra also known as Bali Yatra or Boita Bandaṇa literally means A Voyage to Bali.
Location: This festival is held in Odisha, in the city of Cuttack on the banks of the Mahanadi river, as a large open fair near the Barabati Fort area.
Reason: It is held to commemorate the day when ancient Sadhabas (Oriya mariners) would begin their voyage in vessels (called Boitas) and sail to Bali & other islands in Indonesia and Sri Lanka for trade and cultural expansion.
When: The festival is celebrated every year for around 8 days from the day of Kartika Purnima (full moon day of the month of Kartika) according to the Oriya Calendar. Kartika Purnima, comes around the end of October and November.
Celebrations:
- Bali Yatra festival is Odisha’s mega trade fair. It has over Thousands of stalls showcasing various ethnic and electronic goods along with food courts and handicrafts.
- On the day of Kartika Purnima people of Odisha gather near banks of Mahanadi, Brahmani river, other river banks, ponds, water tanks and sea shores to float miniature toy boats as a symbolic gesture of their ancestors' voyage.