Bali Yatra Festival

Cuttack district administration is hosting the annual Bali Yatra Festival at Cuttack City, 25 kms far from Orissa's capital city of Bhubaneswar, from November 24 to December 1.

Kartik Chandra Ratha, the organiser of the annual theatre olympiad and cultural festival at Cuttack, is in-charge of the dance segment of the Bali Yatra.

Kartik Chandra Ratha is looking for a few Indian classical dancers to be invited to the event. The district administration would pay Rs.3,000 as performance fee and would look after local hospitality, Mr.Ghose informed.

If interested, please contact Kartik Chandra Ratha on his mobile number: 99370-55184.

Please pass on the information to anyone who would be interested in participating in the festival.

Regards,

Shyamhari Chakra

Correspondent

The Hindu

Bhubaneswar

__________________________________________________
A great post about the Bali Yatra from Anu's Blog

Bali Yatra - The festival

Bali Yatra is a famous Festival in Orissa. Held on the full moon day in November - December that is celebrated all over Orissa as Kartik Purnima, Bali Yatra commemorates Orissa's ancient maritime legacy.

Karthik Purnima was considered the most auspicious day by the traders (sadhabas) of Orissa to venture on a journey to distant lands namely the islands of Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Bali Yatra is a hugely popular fair held on the banks of Mahanadi River in Cuttack city from where the traders of Orissa (sadhabas) undertook voyages, along the sea trade route, on huge boats called Boita. To celebrate the glory of the ancient times, the people in Cuttack as well as in the rest of Orissa float small boats made of cork(thermocole), colored paper and banana tree barks in the river and water tanks.

The ritual of launching tiny paper boats lit by lamps placed within its hollow is known as Boita Bandana.

Not only in River Mahanadi but also in many other rivers , ponds and sea people set sell to their little ships in the early morning of Kartik Purnima.

Held over 3-4 days till the full moon day, the fair of Bali Yatra is attended by thousands of enthusiasts and is marked with fun and frolic at the riverbanks where countless shops selling food, clothes and miscellaneous items and swings come up during the evenings.Its like a must for all the people in cuttack to visit it once.

___________________________________

And from the Wikepedia