yeh duniya ek rangmanch hai....

Actor I. S. Johar was passing through the town of bargarh (Orissa) in his car when he was abruptly stopped by this man who seemed to jump straight out of 18^th or 17^th century. Dressed in princely clothes he stopped the car and asked Mr. Mukherjee to pay 1000 gold coins as penalty for trespassing through his territory. As large men looking like the King's bodyguards gathered around the car Mr. Mukherjee panicked and started pleading his case. When some of the city residents saw this they started laughing and one of them explained to Mr. Mukherjee how he was now a character of the play being organized in the town.

Welcome to "Dhanu Yatra". It is a festival celebrated over 11 days where a common man takes over the role of the great demon king Kansa. He rules the city (Bargarh becomes Mathura) for all these days and can call upon anyone onto his court during this time. (The actor knows his limitations though) There is no line written as he just wanders in the town and punishes and rewards people based on his wisdom. A Huge court is erected for his evening court sessions with his ministers where he discusses state affairs. He calls upon many well known personalities who are then placed as accused or guests in his court. The evening I attended the festival, the unlucky ones were two politician brothers- one is the MP and one is the MLA of Sambalpur. They were brought on elephant and it was funny to see their uncomfortable faces.

A nearby village is turned into Gopapur, where Little Krishna does all his Bal-Leela. The festival ends with the annihilation of the demon king in the hands of Krishna. That day the whole city mourns the death of their king and infact it falls on a day which is celebrated all over India but this city weeps. Traditions are sometimes so amazing. I dont think any other thing comes close to the famous lines from movie anand - "yeh duniya ek rangmanch hai aur hum sab iski kathputaliyan!"