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Fairs of Orissa

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Orissa is embellished with numerous religious and cultural fairs and festivals. Orissa shimmers with chanting of mantras, sound of conchs, fragrance of flowers and sparkling lights during the fairs and festivals.

Bali Yatra
Bali Yatra fair is held on the banks of river Mahanadi in Cuttack, Orissa for four days. The fair is held to commemorate the trade that flourished between the state and countries of Bali, Java and Sumatra. Also idol of lord Kartikeya is worshipped and then immersed in the water of Mahanadi. It falls on the full moon day in the month of Karthik.

Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival)
Jagannath Rath Yatra is held in Puri district to commemorate the visit of Lord Krishna to Mathura. Chariots carrying the idols of Lord Krishna, Subadhra and Balram are pulled by Lakhs of devotees who visit the occasion. After three days the chariot moves back to the Jagannath temple.

Puri Beach Festival
Puri Beach festival is a popular festival among domestic and international tourists. The festival is held in the month of November. The festival is a host to classical dance, music and performing arts and many other cultural shows. Sand art is the major attraction on the beach. Handicraft materials are sold at the fair.

Konark Dance Festival
Konark temple located in Konark on the shore of Bay of Bengal is an architectural grandeur built around 800 years ago. The temple is declared a world heritage site. A dance festival is organized here as a joint venture of Orissa tourism and Odissi research centre. Dance experts converge here to perform and revive various dance forms of the state.

Dhanu Yatra
Dhanu Yatra is held to commemorate visit of Lord Krishna to Mathura. The festivals celebrated in Bargah town of Orissa. Bargah town is treated as Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna. The Yatra is held in the month of Paush.

Magha Mela
Magha Mela, held in the month of Magha, is a popular fair in the Konark city of Orissa. Devotees from all parts of the country visit to take holy dips in the Chandrabhaga Tirtha. Worship of the Sun God is done by the visitors.

Chandan Yatra
Chandan Yatra, famous in Puri, is held in the honor to Lord Jagannath. The fair is held in the month of Baisakh lasting for 42 days. Images of various deities are carried from temples to the Narendra water tank in a sacred procession. The idols are kept in a boat and worshipped.

Joranda Mela
Joranda Mela is held at Joranda in Dhenkanal district, Orissa. The fair is also known as the Mahima Mela, falls on the Magha Purnima day. Joranda Mela holds importance for people of Mahima sect. The fair lasts for 3 days in which the Mahima sanyasis worship Mahima Gosain's Samadhi Pitha. The fair is a witness to initiation of a Bairagi to an Apara Sanyasi, a havan/yagan in the ‘Yajnan Kund’, and chanting of the words ‘Alakh Brahma’.

Snana Yatra
Snana Yatra, also known as the Jagannath Snana Yatra, is usually held on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Jyestha. It is organized as a celebration of the birthday of Lord Jagannath. More

Taratarini Mela
This fair is one of the largest in Orissa, held on every Tuesday in month of Chaitra. The fair is held at Taratarini Pitha, 30 km from Berhampur.