The 11-day festival stages the story of Kansa and Krishna across the entire town.
Every winter, the town of Bargarh in western Odisha transforms itself into Mathura for the Dhanu Jatra, often described as the world's largest open-air theatre.
For 11 days, the entire town becomes the stage. The Jeera river plays the Yamuna, and the village of Amapali on the outskirts becomes Gopapura, the land of Krishna's childhood.
The performance follows the story of the tyrant king Kansa, Krishna's uncle, from his rise to the throne to his death at Krishna's hands. The actor playing Kansa rules the town during the festival, even summoning officials to his court.
Held in Bargarh since 1947, the festival usually runs from late December into early January and draws large crowds from across Odisha and beyond.
