Bargarh, Dec 4: The Department of Language, Literature, and Culture has announced a financial grant of ₹1 crore for the Bargarh Dhanuyatra, the world’s largest open-air theater festival. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Minister Suryavanshi Suraj.
The festival is scheduled from December 24, 2025, to January 3, 2026, in Bargarh. Around 200 participating artists will receive an honorarium of ₹10,000 each. To ensure wider reach, the festival will be broadcast live on LED screens locally and in other states through the Odisha Parivar Directorate.
Festival infrastructure and public facilities:
Thematic entry gates will be constructed at the city’s main entry points.
Special tourist buses will run from Puri and Bhubaneswar to Bargarh.
A dedicated website will provide details on festival schedules, images, videos, hotels, parking, and GPS locations.
Students will be engaged through a digital quiz on the website, with digital certificates awarded to participants.
To ensure smooth conduct, the government will oversee security, fire safety, sanitation, emergency medical services, and overall administration during the festival.
Minister Suraj stated that the Dhanuyatra is a celebration of Odisha’s rich culture and heritage. During the festival, Bargarh city will symbolically represent Mathura, Ambapali as Gopapura, and the Jeera river as the Yamuna. He promised a grand, spectacular, and divine celebration this year.
