Time: December-January
Dedicated to: Lord Krishna
Significance: It is observed to celebrate Lord Krishna’s visit to Mathura

Dhanu Yatra is celebrated as a commemoration of Lord Krishna’s visit to Mathura. It is a distinctive form of annual festivity, in which the small isolated Bargah town of Orissa turns into a massive open-air theatre. The basic idea behind this festival is to celebrate the victory of Lord Krishna over his autocrat uncle Kansa, who was a very cruel man. During the Dhanu yatra period, Bargah serves as the classic town Mathura, which is also the place where Lord Krishna took birth.

River Jira turns into Yamuna and the village Amapalli, situated on the other bank of the river, serves as Gopa. At the time of this yatra, people attire in the style resembling that of the mythological period. It also witnesses different acts, based on the Puranic description, being performed by them. The origin of Dhanu yatra can be traced back to the times of British regime. The year 1999 witnessed the celebration of its golden jubilee. The yatra lasts for a period of seven to eleven days and falls on the the full-moon day of 'Pausa' i.e. 'Pausa Purnima'.