Odisha Culture Department approves a ₹1 crore grant for Dhanu Yatra 2025 in Bargarh, ensuring grand celebrations, artist support, tourism boost, and digital outreach
OdishaPlus bureau
The Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture has declared a grant of Rs 1 crore for the forthcoming Dhanu Yatra festival in Bargarh. This decision was made during a high-level meeting presided over by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
The festival is scheduled to take place from December 24, 2025, to January 3, 2026.
In preparation for the event, approximately 200 artists involved in the Yatra will receive a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each. To enhance visibility, the festival will be streamed live on LED screens throughout Odisha and in other states via the Odisha Paribar initiative.
Plans are underway to construct theme-based gates at key entry points in Bargarh, operate special tourist buses from Puri and Bhubaneswar, and launch a dedicated website featuring festival information, hotel listings, parking details, GPS navigation, and even a digital quiz for students.
The Minister instructed officials to ensure thorough arrangements for security, fire services, sanitation, and medical assistance. He stressed that Dhanu Yatra is a celebration of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, with Bargarh symbolically transformed into Mathura, Ambapali into Gopapur, and the Jira river into the Yamuna.
The meeting included MPs, MLAs, senior officials, and representatives from the cultural department, all committed to supporting a grand and vibrant celebration.