How Bargarh’s Dhanu Yatra Turns an Entire Town into the World’s Largest Living Theatre

The 77th edition of Dhanu Yatra has recently concluded in Bargarh, once again transforming the western Odisha town into the mythological city of Mathura. Running from December 24, 2025 to January 3, 2026, this year's festival drew lakhs of visitors who witnessed the Guinness World Record holder for the world's largest open-air theatre.

The festival's unique authority structure is legendary. In 1991, Biju Patnaik, then Chief Minister of Odisha, arrived late to the inauguration and faced swift consequences. King Kansa imposed a fine of 10,000 gold coins upon him. Patnaik paid the fine, acknowledging Kansa's supreme authority during the eleven-day festival. This incident encapsulates the extraordinary nature of Dhanu Yatra, where boundaries between performance and reality dissolve, transforming an entire town into a living stage and its citizens into willing participants in this spectacular cultural phenomenon.

The People's Festival and Sacred Theatre

"Dhanu Yatra" derives from two words: "Dhanu" (bow) and "Yatra" (journey or procession), literally translating to "The Festival of the Bow", symbolising Lord Krishna's bow, the key element in the mythological story where Krishna slays the tyrant Kansa. This festival, marking the victory of good over evil, has its roots in the post-independence era, originating in 1947-48 in Bargarh as part of celebrations marking India's independence from British rule.

The labour class in Bargarh, workers from agriculture, daily wage labourers, and various industries, played a pivotal role in creating Dhanu Yatra. These workers, deeply engaged with community and local culture, sought to create a festival reflecting themes of freedom, liberation, and resistance to oppression, values profoundly associated with the independence movement.

As Dr. Parthasarathy Sahu, who teaches history at Utkal University, has observed, “Dhanuyatra represents a significant regional assertion of identity in post-colonial India, demonstrating how traditional practices reinforce local identities, especially when such identities face threats from external forces or rapid modernity.”

What distinguishes Dhanu Yatra is its radical reimagining of space and its inclusive nature. The entire town of Bargarh becomes Mathura, whilst nearby Ambapali transforms into Gopa, Krishna's childhood home. The Jeera River, flowing between them, serves as the Yamuna. During the festival, administrative authority symbolically transfers to King Kansa, who holds court at a specially constructed palace. As a member of the Dhanu Yatra Committee explains, "There is no written script used in these enactments.” Performances erupt spontaneously across streets, markets, homes, and public squares.

The late Ghasiram Sahu, a makeup artist associated with the festival from 1951 until his death in 2015, is credited with creating the iconic tyrannical look of Kansa that has become synonymous with the character. This year, Sushil Meher from Chichinda village portrayed Kansa for the first time after rigorous auditions from 291 applicants competing for various roles. Amidst rising criticism for the new performer, we talked to a former Kansa actor, Hrushikesh Bhoi, who reflected, "My dream was to enact the role of Kansa in the Bargarh Dhanu Yatra. There is no rivalry between the actors here; many do it for sheer love and passion."

The record for playing Kansa is held by Gopal Sahu, a police officer who performed the role for 22 consecutive years. Local residents play roles passed down through families across generations, employing Daskathia and other folk performance traditions native to western Odisha. Dr. G.N. Devy, the renowned scholar of Indian languages and cultural history, has written about how festivals like Dhanuyatra preserve folklore through public performances that contain deep moral and social lessons, representing India's rich storytelling traditions.

While one remarkable aspect is the festival's transcendence of social and caste barriers, as one of the organisers notes, the festival provides "opportunity to local artists, and for those from outside the region to showcase their talent and culture," with some 3,000 people taking part in the drama, experts from Baragarh tell a different tale. “Krishna belonged to the Gouda or milkman community in mythology, but his character is always enacted by children of a particular caste.

There is no shortage of youngsters in the Gouda community here in this village. Rarely do they get a chance to play Krishna’s role on stage,” the experts, especially Gopal Sahu, who also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his Kansa portrayal, have criticised.

Elderly residents display profound emotional attachment, with many literally accepting the children portraying Krishna and Balaram as divine manifestations, worshipping their feet with the same reverence shown in temples. The residents of Ambapali even abstain from non-vegetarian food during the festival period.

UNESCO Recognition and Cultural Preservation

The Odisha government has significantly enhanced support for Dhanu Yatra this year, increasing the grant to Rs 1.5 crore. An expert committee has been formed to work towards obtaining UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status, with a dedicated website being developed to provide comprehensive information about the festival's history and real-time navigation for visitors.

This pursuit of UNESCO recognition represents more than international prestige; it signifies a critical strategy for cultural preservation in an era of rapid modernisation. Should Dhanu Yatra receive UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage designation, it would join other celebrated Indian traditions such as Kumbh Mela and Ramlila, bringing increased documentation efforts, potential international funding, and greater tourist interest that generates economic opportunities for local communities.

This year's festival introduced significant innovations. For the first time, 200 artists received honorariums of Rs 10,000 each, acknowledging their vital contributions. The government arranged live streaming across major locations in Odisha using LED screens, ensuring broader access. The National School of Drama has decided to prepare a documentary on the Bargarh Dhanu Yatra 2025, demonstrating growing institutional support. Additionally, projects worth Rs 12.80 crore for a dedicated Rang Mahal (stage) have been announced. 

Sustaining Tradition in the Digital Age

Yet Dhanu Yatra faces considerable challenges in navigating modernity whilst preserving authenticity. As Bijayani Mishra, who teaches sociology at Maitreyi College in Delhi University, observes, "One of the most unique aspects of Dhanuyatra is its open-stage format. The entire city of Bargarh—streets, squares, and parks—turns into an expansive stage for thousands of actors, performers, and spectators. The 'open script' nature of the festival means that performances are highly adaptable and can be shaped by the environment, turning any street corner into a pivotal scene."

Mishra raises crucial questions about the festival's future in the OTT era: "The fluidity and organic nature of folk festivals like Dhanuyatra could potentially thrive in digital formats, where live-streamed or interactive performances might allow viewers to engage in dynamic ways. However, whilst such technology can broaden the reach of these festivals, it also raises concerns about preserving the authenticity and community-driven spirit that define them. The physical presence and collective experience, central to the festival's cultural significance, may not fully translate into the digital space, challenging the balance between global accessibility and local tradition."

The festival's scale demands extensive community participation, but urbanisation and migration have depleted the pool of traditional performers. The economic burden continues to grow, with this year's Rs 1.5 crore government investment representing just a portion of total costs for sets, costumes, logistics, and the 14 open-air theatres spread across an 8-kilometre radius. 

Nevertheless, Dhanu Yatra remains vital for preserving Odisha's theatrical heritage. It keeps alive ancient performance forms such as Daskathia, traditional music styles, and improvisation techniques that flourish without written scripts. Recognised as a National Festival by the Department of Culture in 2014, it demonstrates theatre's power as a community-binding force. One resident explained the festival's deeper meaning through a traditional Sambalpuri saying, "Kansa rajar bansha budu, Kansa male khaema ladu" (let the dynasty of king Kansa come to an end, we shall take sweets when Kansa dies), a sentiment that connects the mythological narrative to contemporary aspirations for justice and liberation.

The festival provides opportunities for local artists and those from outside the region to showcase their talent and culture. In doing so, it proves that ancient traditions can thrive not by remaining static but by remaining relevant, by inviting each generation to step into the story, inhabit the roles, and keep the performance alive. 

As this year's successful conclusion demonstrates, when the curtain falls on Kansa's defeat each year, it rises again on possibilities for the year to come, ensuring this living theatre tradition continues to captivate audiences and preserve Odisha's rich cultural heritage for future generations, even as it grapples with the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.