Bali Yatra to Go Plastic-Free; ₹10 Crore Proposed

Odisha has proposed ₹10 crore for this year’s historic Bali Yatra in Cuttack, scheduled from November 24 to December 1. The eight-day festival will follow a plastic-free approach, with 500 stalls by ORMAS showcasing rural products alongside Odisha’s handloom and handicrafts.

The preparations were reviewed at a meeting chaired by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. Two cultural stages will be set up, and a delegation from Bali is expected to attend. A special pavilion, ‘Kataka-in-Kataka’, will highlight the historical ties between Bali and ancient Kalinga through exhibitions on language, food, attire and traditional manuscripts, including Odisha’s palm-leaf and Bali’s Lontar manuscripts.

The meeting also reviewed the State Book Festival in Bhubaneswar from December 4 to 14. Proposed attractions include dedicated pavilions on Kapilendra Deva, Vande Mataram and Gyanabharatam, along with children’s literature, author interactions, quizzes and open-mic sessions.

The Minister also assessed key cultural projects, including Kala Mandap, Utkal University of Culture auditorium, Kalabikash Kendra renovation, Bakulaban development, a modern museum in Bhubaneswar, the Jagannath Interpretation Centre in Puri, Bhanja Kala Mandap renovation, a National School of Drama regional campus and Baraputra Heritage Village.

He directed officials to complete all projects within their निर्धारित timelines. Culture Department Secretary Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Cuttack Collector Dattatray Bhausaheb Shinde and senior officials attended the meeting.