Sambalpur, Nov. 12: The stalemate over shifting of venue of the Bargarh Dhanu yatra, believed to be the world's largest open air theatre, continues.
Fourteen members of the Dhanu Yatra Organising Committee have submitted a memorandum to district collector Anjan Kumar Manik, protesting against the decision to shift the venue of the raj durbar of King Kansa from Hatpada to the Nishamani ground in the town for the upcoming festival and urged him reconsider the decision. The 11-day festival is scheduled to begin from January 2 and will conclude on January 12.
In the memorandum, they have also requested the district collector to treat the memorandum as resignation of the festival's organising committee members if the decision to shift the durbar venue was not reconsidered.
Committee secretary Sureswar Satpathy said: "The people of Bargarh are not satisfied with the decision of the district administration. Respecting the popular sentiment, we have urged the district collector to reconsider the decision."
Every year, while the durbar of King Kansa is staged at Hatpada, the Nishamani ground houses the ranga mahal, where cultural programmes are held. However, because of the huge crowd, the durbar functioned for seven days at Hatpada and four days at the Nishamani ground last year.
At the preparatory meeting held on October 28, the district administration decided to shift the durbar from Hatpada to the Nishamani ground this time. The decision has not gone down well with the people of Bargarh and members of the organising committee.
"We want the district administration to stage the durbar for seven days at Hatpada and four days at the Nishamani ground. This arrangement should continue till a permanent place for the durbar is identified," said Satpathy.
District collector Anjan Kumar Manik said: "The decision to shift the durbar venue has been taken considering crowd and space constraint. We have received the memorandum seeking reconsideration of the decision, but we are yet to decide on that." On November 1, five mebers of the Bargarh municipal council submitted their resignation to protest against the decision.
