The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Ambapalli village never forgets its ‘mythical’ role

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 17, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Other States

Other States - Orissa

Ambapalli village never forgets its ‘mythical’ role

Satyasundar Barik

Over 10,000 residents play their part in Krishna Leela

Villagers shun non-vegetarian food for 15 days
‘Dhanu Yatra’ will come to an end on January 22

Artistic: The statute of mythical demon king Kansa in his darbar, which is erected in Bargarh town, during ongoing Dhanu Yatra.

BARGARH: For seven days every year, Satya Narayan Podha, who is a teacher by profession, gets a mythical identity while his wife Jyotsnarani acquires a new life in Ambapalli village on the outskirts of the district headquarters town of Bargarh. Over a 10,000 residents of Ambapalli too ‘play’ their part and call this real-life couple as Nanda Raja and Mata Yashoda.

At Bargarh, barely five km away from the village Ambapalli, the mythical demon king Kansa enacted by a police officer dictates while a few lakh people in 25-km radius area happily make themselves available to be ruled by the king.

Welcome to the world’s largest open-air theatre -- Dhanu Yatra, which is currently at its spectacle best, in the western Orissa town of Bargarh.

Annual feature

The mythical description of Krishna Leela is re-enacted annually and this year is no exception. The town, Bargarh, is called as Mathurapuri, the capital of demon king Kansa, Ambapalli village as Gopapur and Jeera River is considered as River Yamuna. What is interesting about the yatra is the district administration considers itself as part of Kansa’s kingdom.

At Ambapalli, sixty-year-old Ananda Chandra Birtia is much happier man today. His grandson, Srikanta Birtia, has been chosen to play the role of child Krishna.

“I am really fortunate that my grandson is playing the role of Lord Krishna,” Mr. Birtia said. Each member of Ambapalli village has inculcated the spirit of mythological epic in them. “We have shunned all non-vegetarian food for 15 days during the Dhanu Yatra. Each household perform special prayer during the celebration,” Agni Kumar Thapa, Vice President of Dhanu Yatra Mohotsab, who is directing events at Ambapalli village, said.

Mr. Podha enjoys both respect and affection for playing the role of the Nanda Raja. Generations have changed since when the Dhanu Yatra started, but inhabitants of Ambapalli have not forgotten their characters.

Similarly, at Bargarh when demon king perched on elephant moves through the busy traffic in the evening hours, it adds only to the chaos. But nobody complains. Unlike the character of demon king Kansa, the police officer, who has been putting life to the character for years, does not pass any cruel order. His directions carry message of social rightness.

The Dhanu Yatra that got underway from January 12 would come to an end on January 22 with child Krishna killing his maternal uncle King Kansa. “The district administration feels a part of the huge theatre,” said district magistrate Harihar Panigrahi, who is president of Dhanu Yatra Mahostab committee.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States