Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Heads of Mission of 14 countries and their spouses as well as a number of other diplomats on Friday attended the Bali Jatra in Odisha’ Cuttack.
The festival, inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday, will continue till November 22.
Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar welcomed the delegates and hailed the arrangements of the Bali Jatra.
Mazumdar reflected that Odisha’s culture, history, civilisation and relationship with Southeast Asia have been explained “very well” in the festival’s celebrations.
Speaking to ANI, Mazumdar said, “About 14 heads of missions of different countries have come from Delhi. Very good arrangements have been made here for everyone. Odisha’s culture, history, civilisation, and relationship with Southeast Asia–everything has been explained very well. We arrived on a boat to the Bali Jatra festival.”
Mazumdar told ANI that delegates become “emotional” after learning the commonality between their culture and Indian culture.
“Special cultural and civilisational elements have been displayed through performances, music and dance. Our ambassadors have become emotional to know the commonality between their culture and Indian culture. Thailand ambassador has said that a similar festival is also celebrated there,” Mazumdar said.
The foreign delegates received a grand welcome in the traditional way as they recreated the voyage to Bali by taking a boat ride along the Mahandi River, celebrating Odisha’s rich maritime history.
As India marks a decade of Act East Policy this year, the festival also attained an international profile by participation from ASEAN, BIMSTEC and Pacific Island countries including the performances of their visiting cultural troupes during the entire week.
Baliyatra Festival in Cuttack is an auspicious festival celebrated on “Kartika Purnima” every year. The seven-day festival, held in November, is observed as the largest trade Fair in Odisha.
The literal meaning of Baliyatra is “Voyage to Bali” which celebrates the rich maritime history of Odisha and commemorates India’s historical and civilisational links with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific that have evolved through the maritime journeys undertaken by the Indian seafarers over thousands of years.