Bargarh: Bhubaneswar Pradhan, who has been playing the role of King Kansa in Dhanu Yatra at Bargarh in Odisha, has announced to retire from the next festival.
Speaking to media persons, Pradhan said this Dhanu Yatra would see his last participation as King Kansa. He would no more play the role from next edition of the festival on health grounds. The 77th edition of Dhanu Yatra is being held in western Odisha town from January 3 to 13.
“It has been an honour to perform as King Kansa and bring joy to countless fans over the years. However, my health no longer permits me to continue as an actor in the festival. Dhanu Yatra is a grand stage and it is a very tiring affair to perform continuously for 11 days while doing justice to the character. So I have decided not to act on this stage from next year,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
But Pradhan would not totally dissociate himself from the Dhanu Yatra which is considered as the world’s biggest open-air theatre. He said he wanted to remain connected with the show and mentor the young actors besides playing suggestive anchor for its directors.
Pradhan, who has been associated with the Dhanu Yatra since 1998, also said he would act and play the role of King Kansa and other popular characters on smaller stages. Owner of opera party Samaleswari Gananatya, he had played Kansa’s role for three years from 2017 to 2020 and also reprised the role from 1998 to 2000.
Dhanu Yatra is based on Krishna Leela and presents the mythological story of Krishna and his uncle Kansa. During the 11-day Yatra, Bargarh town transforms into Mathura. River Jeera symbolically represents river Yamuna and Ambapali, which is located on the other side of the river Jeera, turns into Gopapur.
King Kansa is the central character of the Yatra and its theme is borrowed from ‘Krishna Leela’ and ‘Mathura Vijay’. A grand and massive Raj Darbar (royal court) and a Rangamahal have been constructed where the actors will entertain spectators with their performances.
