Mathura Nagari: The world-famous open-air theatre, Bargarh Dhanu Jatra, went off to a colourful start at Raj Darbar stage in Hatpada Wednesday evening.
Bargarh MP Pradeep Kumar Purohit and MLA Ashwini Kumar Sarangi inaugurated the festival around 7:30 pm.
Among others, Padampur MLA Barsha Singh Bariha, Attabira MLA Nihar Ranjan Mahanand, Bhatli MLA Irasish Acharya, Bargarh Municipality chairperson Kalpana Majhi, District Collector Aditya Goyal, Superintendent of Police PS Meena and members of Dhanu Jatra Mahotsav Committee also attended the mega event.
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The inaugural programme was coordinated by Dhanu Jatra Mahotsav Committee convener Sureshwar Satpathy. With the inauguration, Bargarh town has transformed into Mathura Nagari and Ambapali into Gopapura for the next 11 days, while the Jira River flowing between the two has symbolically become the Yamuna River.
Scenes from the epic were enacted, beginning with the marriage of Devaki and Vasudeva at the local Ramji Temple in the presence of Maharaja Ugrasena.
The prophecy foretelling the death of Kansa at the hands of Devaki’s eighth child left Kansa disturbed. Subsequently, Kansa dethroned Ugrasena and seized control of Mathura.
