Bali Jatra

Bali Jatra or Bali Yatra is a famous festival of Odisha. It is mainly celebrated in Cuttack. This is India’s biggest open trade fair, which is celebrated for 7 days, starting from Kartik Purnima. It is celebrated on the bank of the Mahanadi River.

It is one of the most significant cultural festivals in Odisha. They worship Lord Kartikeswar. The meaning of Bali yatra is “A voyage to Bali”. They celebrate the trade of old sailors with Bali, Java, and Sri Lanka. So, the name Bali Yatra also derived from the island of “Bali”, where merchants were used to trading. 

It is celebrated from the full moon day of Karthik month. Because of the favorable wind people start to celebrate. Kalingas made “Boitas” or large boats to trade with Indonesians. To show their gratitude people still make boats with paper and banana trees.

Also lighting those boats with lamps. Which is known as “Boita Bandana”. They also organize a big fair besides the ghat and sell traditional items and handicraft items. It is an unforgettable experience to see the river with uncountable boats which are lit with lamps. 

History of Bali Jatra

Bali Yatra roots back to the ancient times of the 4^th to 5^th century BC when, traders or merchants from Kalinga, present-day Odisha embarked on sea voyages to trade with the Indonesian Islands of Bali, Java, and Sri Lanka.

They predicted the growth of seaports because of the connected ports with other countries. At that time the Bay of Bengal was only known as the “sea of Kalingas”. Because of these, Kalingas are also known as the “Lord of the Sea”.

Local people believe that Bali Yatra was started at that time when 2000 families of the Kalinga empire decided to migrate to Bali. People organize Bali Jatra to celebrate the skills of trades of Kalingas. According to history, they mostly traded papers, silk, gold, silver, etc. So, the Bali Jatra festival honors those traders who mark a skill of trade in those islands.

Why Bali Jatra is Celebrated

The festival is a tribute to the sailors of the glorious past, who make Kalingas one of the leading merchants of those times. It is celebrated for both commercial and historical significance.

• The festival is celebrated to pay homage to their expertise and skills in trades in those times. Their trading with South Asian countries, helped to grow the economic conditions as well as cultural exchanges. So Bali Yatra serves as the honors to their audacity, and expertise.
• The festival also serves as a unity and heritage of Odisha. People from all backgrounds gather together and offer prayers, and exchange their cultures, and traditional items. This festival is for celebrating the links of cultures and traditions of Kalinga and Bali.
• The festival also celebrates not only the artistic heritage of Odisha, cultural diversities, and traditional handicrafts.
• The festival also has commercial significance. People this time buy products at very comparatively low prices from local artisans. More than 24 items are kept for display. And only this time Cuttack administration allows 1500 stalls of handicraft items in an auction. People buy more than 100 crore Rs. At the fair.  

Who started Bali Jatra:

In 1993, chief minister Biju Patnaik first started Bali Yatra. Bali Yatra is a famous festival in Odisha. People grandly celebrate this to offer prayers, and gratitude to Odia merchants who traded with Bali, Java, and other Southeast countries of Asia.

• The festival has a historical significance in Odisha’s culture and traditions. This is a major celebration of Cuttack. Cuttack district administration and District Culture office organize Bali Jatra every year at the bank of the Mahanadi River. At that time every resort and hotel are fully packed due to the over-rush of people.
• Craft And Fair Exhibitions: At the fair, Artisans from different places in Odisha, came here. And there are more than 1500 stalls put on for exhibitions. They made handmade crafts and traditional silver jewelry. Visitors can see so many traditional arts, textiles, crafts, etc.
• Prayers: As a memory of Kalinga’s Boitas, people also make boats and lit up them with lamps, decorate them with flowers, and also put sweets in those boats. And offers prayers to the sailors, traders, and their ancestors. Which is the symbol of the journey to the afterlife.
• Boat Race: It is another significant tradition of Bali Yatra. People make groups and compete with each other in decorated boats.
• People also perform the traditional song “Aa ka ma boi, pan gua thoi…” and perform folk dances to show Odisha’s traditional significance.
• In Bali Yatra, every year more than 15 Lakh tourists come to visit.
• People also organize a grand fair “Pailashree Mela” and keep various crafts from 24 states.
• The festival also has a wide range of significant Odisha delicacies like Thunka puri, Mathura cake, Bhaja Lanka,
• Besides these food delicacies, there are so many options for entertainment. They arrange star performers from Bollywood, people can enjoy this free of cost. Odisha and folk dances, and singing are arranged there. On the last day of the Bali yatra, a felicitation ceremony is arranged to give honor to guests.
• People also offer Mahanadi Arati to Mahanadi and the Lord of the Sun God.
• There are other cities where Bali Jatra is celebrated except the major one in Cuttack. Bhubaneswar Bali Yatra is a notable one. More than 600-700 stalls are opened there. In 2017 Bhubaneswar Bali Yatra started.
• In 2019 Bali Yatra won the tag of “state-level festival”. 

Bali Jatra 2023

Bali Yatra will begin on the 27^th of November, 2023, at the Barabati Fort area of Cuttack and the ghats of the Mahanadi River. This year, for the first time there will be a 9-day-long special laser light show on 10 videos of the history of Cuttack.

Bali Jatra 2022

Bali Yatra was conducted in a bigger way in 2022. It was celebrated from 8^th November to 17^th November. It put a name in the Guinness Book of World Records by making 23000 boats in 35min by 2100 students.   

Bali Jatra 2024

The next Bali Yatra will start on 27^th November at the Bank of Mahanadi. In 2023 they are again planning to make a unique record by making 10000 boats in just 15 mins. And second annual Bali Jatra is likely to be held on an outskirt of Bhubaneswar at the banks of the Khukari River from 23^rd November to 30^th November.

How to participate in Bali Jatra

Participating in this festival is a memorable experience. People from different states with different backgrounds came and gathered together to celebrate the festival. People can gather and participate in various rituals of this festival.

• Boita Bandana: On the first day, people offer prayers to the old sailors, traders. They make a miniature boat with leaves, bark, and paper. And decorate them with flowers and light. These boats are symbols of old ships. They release these boats into the river and offer prayers.
• Cultural Performance: People can join for their traditional songs, folk dances, art, and crafts to celebrate the festival
• Pailashrre Mela: people can enjoy the largest open-air fair. People also can enjoy the organized exhibitions of traditional crafts. There are toy stalls, different games, Maut ka kuan, and food stalls.
• People can also enjoy the boat race. It is the major highlight of Bali Jatra.
• People can also enjoy traditional Odisha foods like Cuttack dahi bara alum, Kulfi, gup chup, Banarasi Paan, Thunka Puri, etc.

How to Reach Cuttack

Cuttack, also known as a silver city of Odisha can be reached by air, train or via bus, or auto.

How to reach Cuttack by Air

Cuttack doesn’t have an airport. The nearest airport is Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar which is 40 km from Cuttack. There are so many international and domestic flights from this airport to various cities.

How to reach Cuttack by Train

The nearest railway is Cuttack which is 5km away. This station is well connected to different cities by train. There are regular trains, superfast trains, and special trains available from this station.

How to reach Cuttack by Bus

From Bhubaneswar 25km via NH16. There are buses, autos, taxis and so many other public and private transports available to reach this city.

FAQs- Frequently Asked Questions