Bargarh: The largest open air theatre ‘Dhanu Yatra on Sunday concluded with the death of demon king Kansa at the hands of his nephew Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna accompanied by his brother Balaram, who were invited by Kansa’s minister Akrura to demon’s king durbar, killed the tyrant king marking the end of 11-day festival.
Worried Kansa lost his sense after being informed that Krishna was coming to his. Sensing his death, Kansa went berserk. After a brief battle at his durbar, the tyrant with his heavy bulk bleeding all over tumbled down the stairs of his durbar. An effigy of Kansa was burnt marking the end of his tyrannical rule.
During the Dhanu Yatra, Bargarh transformed into Mathura. River Jeera passing along Bargarh town becomes the river Yamuna and Amapali, which is located on the other side of Jeera, acted as Gopapura.
Kansa rules Bargarh for 11 days and the tyrannical rule of Kansa, his death and Krishna Leela are enacted in 14 places in Mathura and Gopapura with the central theme of the festival borrowed from the ‘Krishna Leela’ and ‘Mathura Vijay’. Around 200 artistes performed this year.
The plays start with the dethroning of emperor Ugrasena by the angry prince Kansa, over the marriage of his sister Debaki with Basudeba, and ends with death of Kansa, and Ugrasen restoring back to become the king.