A green patch amid Baliyatra bustle

Bhubaneswar: From the beautifully painted tree trunks, illuminated leaves and branches, platforms to sit on and erected replicas of major landmarks of Cuttack, it was hard to believe that slumdwellers used to rear pigs here a few months back.
Baliyatra — a weeklong trade festival celebrating Odisha’s rich maritime tradition — will begin from November 8. As the historic Baliyatra is back in a bigger and grand manner after two years of Covid lull, the Cuttack district administration has come up with a green zone — a serene and quiet corner — amidst lush green trees on the banks of the river Mahanadi.
“There was a huge patch of land full of litter where slumdwellers used to rear pigs and dump garbage. We wanted to reclaim this land and to protect around 245 big trees and the green cover. So, we decided to transform it to a beautiful place where people can sit and relax and take a break from the push and shove of Baliyatra,” said Cuttack collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani.
He said two different segments of people visit Baliyatra — one group of shoppers and the other watchers.
“We don’t want Baliyatra as a festival for traders only but for people of all age groups. The event will be a melting pot of culture, heritage, art and culture, history and tradition too. With the help of Bakul Foundation, we transformed the place into a creative corner,” Chayani added.
The district administration has made beautiful replicas of the famous landmarks of Cuttack city which will be placed inside the green zone spread across in around 10 acres. The replicas of famous monuments include Kadam Rasul, Dhabaleswar temple, Gurudwara, Barabati Fort, Baptist Church, Cuttack railway station and Chandi Mandir. The collector said, “INS Chilika will also install a replica of INS Vikrant and other ships and boats to create awareness among public about Indian Navy. Acclaimed sand sculptor Sudarshan Patnaik’s sand art will also be a major attraction for visitors near the green zone.”
During Baliyatra, everyday a quiz competition will be held among the children and youth about these famous monuments and attractive prizes will be given.