Cuttack: The historic Bali Jatra on the banks of the Mahandi in the Millennium City has been extended by a day.
The mega open fair, which was inaugurated on Tuesday (November 12), will now conclude on November 20, said Collector Bhabani Shankar Chaini.
It was earlier scheduled to end on November 19.
The fair, which received state-level recognition this year, boasts of new initiatives such as boating and performances by celebrities.
An ‘arati’ is also being held every day at the Mahanadi.
With the Cuttack district administration promoting a clean and green Bali Jatra, Mo Cycles and Mo Rickshaws are available for visitors to hire at the annual trade fair.
The fair at Gadagadia Ghat here was an 11-day affair last year.
For centuries the fair, where different aspects of Odisha is showcased, is being organized on the banks of river Mahanadi. Every year it begins on the day of Kartika Purnima, which is considered auspicious and commemorates Odia mariners’ journeys to Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Sri Lanka for trade and commerce. While it is believed that the local traders and populace would have started the fair, the Cuttack district administration has taken the responsibility of organizing it for last several decades.
