Bhubaneswar: For Odias living abroad, the news of the Union govt listing Rath Yatra in Puri and Cuttack’s Bali Yatra in its ‘National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage’ (NIICH) has brought immense joy since it will take the two festivals a step closer to being included in the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“If we are included in the Unesco list, all 193 countries in the UN will officially come to know about Rath Yatra and Bali Yatra. It will boost the tourism potential of the events and places and Odisha will earn more revenue,” Choudhury Rudra Charan Mohanty, environment programme coordinator of United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Nagoya, Japan, said.
Choudhury, who was instrumental in organising Rath Yatra in Nagoya, said the festival helps connect people and sends out a message of universal brotherhood. “People pulling the chariot together is a great symbol of unity and humanity and the world should know of its existence in Odisha,” he added.
He was seconded by Sukanta Sahu, a member of Sri Jagannath Society UK (SJSUK). “It is a very proud moment for us. The recognition will attract more people from abroad during the festivals like it happened during Maha Kumbh,” said Sahu. “Moreover, the world will learn about Odisha and Odias,” he added.
Tokyo-based culture enthusiast Rimjhim Mohanty said the Centre’s decision is apt as it’s time that the world should know about Odisha’s rich past. “Odias are sharp and knew shipbuilding in the bygone era and took the sea route to trade with other countries. Also, that Odisha is rich in culture, textiles and minerals,” Rimjhim, who organised Boita Bandana at the Ram Temple in Ibaraki, Japan last year, said.
In the US, Rath Yatra is celebrated in all 50 states. In some states, it is celebrated in more than one place. “When I got my US citizenship, I was advised by the judge not to forget my roots. And organising the Rath Yatra in New England is my ode to my native place,” Akshaya Mohanty, a businessman from Rhode Island, said.
Over the years, Odias have made efforts to tell the world about Rath Yatra by celebrating it and by following every ritual. They build the chariot, cooked the prasad, arranged cultural programmes, invited people from other communities and worked as volunteers to make the festival a success. In many cases, like in Australia, the UK, and Japan, they procured the idols and chariot decor from Puri and Pipili, respectively.
Even ‘Boita Bandana’, an integral part of Bali Yatra showcasing Odisha’s ancient maritime tradition, gained traction. Last Nov, the Odisha Society of the United Kingdom (OSUK) organised Bali Yatra in London. In Japan, Odias organised boat-making workshops that served the dual purpose of the younger generation knowing about Odia traditions as well as meeting the need for miniature boats for ‘Boita Bandana’ as these are not available abroad.