Asia’s largest open-air annual trade fair the Bali Jatra, commemorating the glorious ancient maritime legacy of Odisha, was inaugurated on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack last evening.

• This year the festival started on the occasion of Kartika Purnima and will continue till December 4 next month. Cultural troupes from across Odisha and other states will perform Odissi, Chhau, Bihu, Mahari, Gotipua, Sambalpuri, Santali folk dance, and other dances in the evenings on the fairgrounds.
• About two thousand stalls displaying various handicrafts, household goods, and foods are expected to come up on the fairground this year. Elaborate security arrangements have been made by police keeping in mind an expected huge gathering.
• Like previous years, the fair recorded a huge participation by traders, women entrepreneurs of self-help groups (SHGs), corporate houses and government agencies both from within and outside the state.
• As many as 2,000 stalls including 200 corporate stalls, 35 government stalls and around 600 food stalls have been set up on Killa Maidan (Upara Padia) adjacent to Barabati Fort and Tala Padia on the Mahanadi riverbed.