Bhubaneswar: To take State’s culture to further height, the State Government has allocated Rs 1.50 crore for Dhanu Jatra- 2025 to be organized in Bargarh district from January 1 to 13th, showcasing Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and tradition.
This was announced by Odia Language Literature and Culture Minister Surjyabanshi Suraj, during a press briefing today.
To ensure the success of the festival, Rs 1 crore has been allocated for Dhanu Jatra. Additionally, Rs 50 lakh has been sanctioned for activities such as live broadcasting of Dhanuyatra, creating a dedicated website for the festival, and other associated expenses, he said.
For the first time, the event will be live-streamed across major locations in Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, using LED screens, Suraj said.
Around 170 participating artists will receive a token honorarium of Rs 10,000 each. Additionally, the National School of Drama will produce a documentary on Dhanu Jatra to showcase its cultural significance, the Minister further announced.
“Following the direction of the Chief Minister, we have decided to provide a honorarium of Rs 10,000 each to the 150-170 artistes who will take part in the 2025 Dhanu Yatra so that they can spend it for their costumes and other necessary things. Even the artistes who were part of the Dhanu Yatra in the past and have attained either old age or are dead will also be felicitated,” he said.
He said the BJP government is taking significant steps to elevate the festival to international recognition. A dedicated expert committee will be formed to work towards obtaining UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for Dhanu Jatra.
The government is also launching a dedicated website that will provide comprehensive information about the festival, including its history, venues and real-time GPS-enabled navigation for visitors, he added.
National School of Drama (NSD) has decided to open a campus in Odisha and as per our request they have decided to prepare a documentary on Bargarh Dhanu Yatra 2025. So that it can be used in the future.
“This apart, we have planned for the live streaming of the Dhanu Yatra in different cities. Arrangements also have been made for the real time recording of the Dhanu Yatra so that everyone gets to see each and every happening of the annual festival,” he added.
Speaking about launching a dedicated website and mobile App, the Minister said, “The Cultural Department will launch a website- dhanujatra.com and a mobile application is also being prepared so that people can get to know more about the Dhanu Yatra, its geographical locations, direction, maps and all.
Through these websites and applications one can view the Dhanu Yatra round the clock. The website will have some questionnaires about Dhanu Yatra which will be an interactive opportunity for the people, Suraj stated.
Notable artists like Arun Govil (known for playing Lord Ram), Nitish Bharadwaj (famous for portraying Lord Krishna) and Hema Malini, the MP from Mathura, will be invited to the Danu Jatra-2025.
It is pertinent to mention here that during Dhanu Jatra, Bargarh transforms into the mythical cities of Mathura, Gopapur vividly reenacting episodes from Indian mythology.
The live broadcasting of the festival is timed with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, enabling a global audience to witness the event and understand its cultural essence.