Bhubaneswar: The dates for the 78th edition of Bargarh Dhanu Yatra have been announced.
The globally-renowned annual festival, recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest open-air theatre, will be held from January 12 to 22, 2027.
The advisory and executive committees of the Dhanu Yatra Mahotsav Samiti, chaired by Bargarh District Collector and Samiti president Aditya Goyal, met on Tuesday to take the decision.
The meeting reviewed the festival’s financial accounts for 2025-26 and discussed preparations for the upcoming edition of Dhanu Yatra.
The selection process of the actor who will portray demon king Kansa will be completed within the next fortnight. The selection process will follow transparent, rational and culturally appropriate procedures.
The festival committee had a surplus fund of Rs 2,13,31,239 at the end of the 2024-25 financial year, while total expenditure was Rs 3,50,87,816.
All committees and their conveners will have to submit detailed expenditure statements to the Samiti within 30 days of the conclusion of Dhanu Yatra.
Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit, Bargarh MLA Ashwini Sarangi, Attabira MLA Nihar Ranjan Mahananda, Municipality Chairperson Kalpana Majhi, SP Ravi Narayan Satpathy were among those present at the crucial meeting. Senior officials from different departments and members of the festival committee also attended the meeting.
The annual Dhanu Yatra transforms Bargarh into a vast open-air theatrical stage, recreating episodes from the life of Lord Krishna, with the town of Bargarh representing Mathura and nearby Ambapali symbolising Gopapura.