“As I speak to you in Bali, a fair namely Bali Jatra is being held in Odisha’s Cuttack, around 1,500 km away from here. The event celebrates thousands of years old trade relations between India and Indonesia,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his address at the G20 summit taking place at Bali.
As I speak to you in Bali & we sing songs of Indonesian traditions, 1500 km away from here in India's Cuttack, Bali Yatra Mahotsav is going on – Bali Jatra. This Mahotsav celebrates thousands of years old India-Indonesia trade relations: PM at the Indian community event in Bali pic.twitter.com/DWCP7ShHpQ— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2022
The Bali Jatra festival, which takes place in Odisha every year, kicked off on November 8 in Cuttack, according to guidelines set by the National Green Tribunal, said a report by Incredible Orissa. What is this festival celebrated by Odisha, and what is its Bali connection? News18 explains:
‘When Ancient Mariners Set Sail for Bali’
The annual grand festival is held on the banks of the Mahanadi river in Cuttack to commemorate the day when ancient Sadhabas (ancient mariners) set sail for the distant lands of Bali to trade and expand culturally.
It also marks the culmination of all religious festivities held during the month of Karthik, which is considered the most auspicious of the Hindu calendar year. The festival hosts many cultural programmes for the millions of people who come to see it.
Bali Jatra is a celebration of the glorious maritime past of Odisha and ancient India’s trade ties with the outside world. Gratitude to PM @narendramodi ji for reiterating Odisha's timeless traditions and cultural connect with Indonesia from the prestigious stage of @g20org. pic.twitter.com/lAtLSH0OEw
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) November 15, 2022
Several attractions adorn the open fair for children as well as food stalls selling Odia delicacies from all over the state. Other vendors sell handicrafts, looms, curios, and other items.
Fondly remember the #BaliJatra celebrations at the seaport town, Paradeep in 2005, graced by Hon CM. A dear friend just shared pic of this traditional Dhokra memento. ???? #Jagatsinghpur pic.twitter.com/LrdMT1BYZc— Arabinda K Padhee (@arvindpadhee) November 13, 2022
What Legend Says
According to the festival’s legend, Odia mariners considered the day of Poornima (full moon) to be highly auspicious for setting sail to distant lands.
A report by Indian Culture expands on this tale. It explains that the Kalinga Empire (modern-day Odisha) was well-known for its illustrious maritime history. Because of Kalinga’s geographical location, this area saw the growth of ports as early as the 4th and 5th centuries BC. Tamralipti, Manikpatna, Chelitalo, Palur, and Pithunda were among the famous ports that allowed India to connect with other countries by sea. The Kalingas soon established trade links with Sri Lanka, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Bali, and Burma. Bali was one of four islands known collectively as the Suvarnadvipa, which is now known as Indonesia.
To enhance the popularity of the Balijatra this year, the District administration has carried out a number of arrangements with a dedicated vision and in an articulate manner. In commemoration of ancient maritime trade, a Shova Jatra was organized with a spectacular procession pic.twitter.com/mAgzf5C3H6— CMC,Cuttack (@CMCCuttack) November 15, 2022
The Kalingas built large boats known as ‘Boitas,’ and used them to trade with the Indonesian islands. These ships had copper hulls and could carry up to 700 men and animals. Surprisingly, the Bay of Bengal was once known as the Kalinga Sea due to the influx of these ships. The Kalingas’ dominance over sea routes can be understood by the fact that Kalidasa referred to the King of Kalinga as ‘The Lord of the Sea’ in his Raghuvamsa, the report stated.
The Kalingas traded frequently with the island of Bali. The exchange of commodities also resulted in the exchange of ideas and beliefs. Odia merchants established settlements on Bali, influencing its culture and ethics. This resulted in the spread of Hinduism in the region. Hinduism blended well with Balinese concepts, and a sizeable population still practises ‘Balinese Hinduism’ today. They worship Hindu deities such as Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, and Brahma. Shiva was revered as the presiding deity and was thought to be Buddha’s elder brother.
How is the Festival Celebrated?
The popular Odisha festival begins on the day of the full moon and lasts seven days at Gadagadia Ghat on the River Mahanadi, where people worship Lord Kartikeswar, the festival’s presiding deity.
The festival commemorates the day when sailors from Odisha embarked on their first crusade to the distant lands of Java, Bali, Borneo, Sri Lanka, and Sumatra. To pay their respects, locals construct an artificial boat out of paper, banana tree bark, and cork and float it in the water.
in front of the Balijatra gate. A tableau called a "Boita" travelled around five cities, including Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Jagatsingpur, and Paradeep, to engage more citizens and a warm welcome to this carnival.#ExploreBalijatra #2022 #CMC@CMCCuttack @cda_cuttack pic.twitter.com/GYzN5JMgDg— CMC,Cuttack (@CMCCuttack) November 15, 2022
The festival also sees the tradition of lighting lamps in the boat, known as Boita Bandana. This has an incredible landscape of countless boats lit up with lamps, says a report by Tour my India.
The Gandi Shilpa Bazaar is another festival attraction, with around 150 stalls selling handicrafts and traditional silver. In addition, the concerned authorities organise boating opportunities for visitors, which is the highlight of this lovely festival in Cuttack.
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