Cuttack: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today inaugurated the historic Bali Jatra here in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and diplomats from various countries.
With the inauguration, Bali Jatra, the biggest annual open air trade fair of Asia, kicked off in Cuttack amid traditional fanfare here this evening. It will continue till November 22.
Cuttack MP Bhatruhari Mahtab, Jagatsinghpur MP Bibhuprasad Tarai, Cuttack Mayor Subas Singh, Barabati Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, Choudwar Cuttack MLA Sauvik Biswal and Cuttack Sadar MLA Prakash Sethi are also present at the Bali Jatra ground.
Interestingly, this year, the historic Bali Jatra witnessed unprecedented international recognition as 13 foreign diplomats, including ambassadors and high commissioners, have graced the inaugural ceremony.
The diplomatic contingent represents nations, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bhutan, Singapore, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Lao PDR, and Brunei.
The presence of international diplomats at Bali Jatra showcases Odisha’s rich heritage and its cultural connection to Southeast Asia.
This year’s festival emphasizes “Odia Asmita” with mandatory Odia language signage for all vendors.
Like previous years, the fair recorded a huge participation by traders, women entrepreneurs of self-help groups (SHGs), corporate houses and government agencies both from within and outside the State.
Over 2,500 stalls including corporate stalls, government stalls and food stalls have been set up on Killa Maidan (Upara Padia) adjacent to Barabati Fort and Tala Padia on the Mahanadi riverbed.
The Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) too has set up the national-level Pallishree Mela with around 500 stalls showcasing products ranging from handloom, handicrafts, rural homemade spices and household articles and other ethnic products from different districts of Odisha and other states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Manipur, Tripura and West Bengal.
The ORMAS has also come up with a national level food festival wherein as many as 30 stalls against the usual 20 are set up in the Pallishree Mela offering popular cuisines from Odisha as well as other states like Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat. Joint CEO, ORMAS, Cuttack Bipin Rout said, “We have also planned to set up four demonstration stalls in association with OLM and Mission Shakti to showcase the method and process of making terracotta, kantha-stitch, handloom, dokra and other products made by WSHG members.”
Apart from that, sand art exhibitions, joy rides and swings are also installed on the Baliyatra ground for the visitors. The fete also has stalls selling toys, gifts and play items for children. Over 50,000 people thronged the fairground on the day.