Cuttack, Nov 27: Bali Yatra is all set to kick off on the banks of Mahanadi River in Cuttack today.
The annual fair, dedicated to the celebration of the rich maritime history of Odisha, will continue till December 4. The Cuttack district administration and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) have arranged for the smooth execution of the eight-day event.
As many as 1,800 stalls displaying various handicrafts and other household goods are expected to come up on the fairground this year. The Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society are set to operate a minimum of 400 stalls at this edition of Bali Yatra, as stated by an official.
Bali Yatra's main attractions will include hundreds of food stalls, merry-go-rounds, and roller coaster rides. Additionally, a private agency from Tamil Nadu will introduce its tunnel aquarium to this year's festivities, according to the official.
Various cultural troupes from Odisha and other states are scheduled to perform traditional dances such as Odissi, Chhau, Bihu, Mahari, Gotipua, Sambalpuri, Kathak, Marathi folk dance, Bengali folk dance, Santali folk dance, and Paika dance on different evenings throughout the fair. A folk dance troupe from Bangladesh is also slated to grace Bali Yatra with their performance.
Renowned artists from Bollywood and Ollywood, including Anu Malik, Sachin-Jigar, Abhijeet Majumdar, Papu Pom Pom, T Souri, Shibani Sangeeta, Sailendra Samantaray, Poonam Mishra, Subashis Sharma, Swayam Padhi, Diptirekha Padhi, Supriya Nayak, Antara Chakrabarty, Sital Patra, Arpita Choudhury, Kuldeep Pattanaik, Tarique Aziz, Sohini Mishra, Bishnu Mohan Kabi, and Satyajeet Pradhan, are set to entertain visitors at the fair.
To ensure the safety and security of visitors, 60 platoons of police personnel will be deployed in and around the fairground. An official from the Commissionerate Police mentioned the installation of 120 CCTV cameras and the construction of six watch towers to manage crowds and monitor for antisocial activities.
Additionally, a 'Cuttack in Cuttack' enclave has been established on the fairground by the district administration. This enclave portrays rural life, featuring thatched houses, cow sheds, village ponds, schools, and Bhagawat Tungi. There are at least 10 designated selfie zones within the enclave for visitors.
Furthermore, the district administration and the CMC have organized a Patha Utsav (street festival) in the morning hours from November 27 to December 4 near the fairground, as announced by Cuttack Collector Narahari Sethy. The official expects a footfall of at least 5 lakh people each day during this year's Bali Yatra.
