From Bali to Bali
Jatra…
'Bali Jatra' means Journey
to Bali. The name Bali Jatra
means 'A Voyage to Bali'
Bali Jatra festival is observed on the day of Poornima (full moon) in the
auspicious month of Kartikeya (October-November) at the Gadagadia Ghat of
the River Mahanadi in the city of Cuttack in Odisha, India. They worship the
Lord Kartikeswar, the presiding deity of this festival, which lasts for seven days.
Sanjeev Sanyal, author of the book, “The Ocean of Churn”, writes, “By the end
of the second century BC, Indian mariners appear to have learned enough about
the monsoon winds and ocean currents to attempt a more southern route across
the Indian Ocean to the islands of Indonesia. Odisha’s Lake Chilika was an
important starting point for this voyage.”
In ancient days, The Kartika Purnima day was considered by the Sadhabas as the
most auspicious day to begin their sea journey to the far-off islands of Bali,
Sumatra, Borneo, Srilanka and Java to solicit new cultural-trade opportunities
and expansions. The fest even now, commemorates the day and celebrates in
full splendor. To pay their homage, regional people make the artificial boat
(made up of paper, barks of the banana tree, and cork) and float it in the water.
The Bali Jatra fair, where humungous crowd gathers every year to watch the
festivities The brightly lit-up stalls lined up with the Orissa handicrafts and
local Oriya delicacies such as Thunka puri, Gupchup, Cuttacki Dahivada
Aludum, Barafa pan never fail to win their hearts over and over again..
It’s important and much relevant to mention the connection of both the
countries since time-immortal especially when economic reforms and global
economy have put us for a common destiny.
38 SOCULTURES JAN-FEB2019