Bali Jatra 2026: Indonesia named partner, fair to go plastic-free

Odisha's Bali Jatra, the historic fair held in Cuttack on the banks of the Mahanadi to remember the state's ancient sea voyages to South-East Asia, will have Indonesia as its official partner country for the first time in 2026, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has announced, and the state plans to make it a plastic-free "Green Bali Yatra". The second phase of registration for stalls and plots at the fair is running from October 26 to October 30, 2026, at Barabati in Cuttack, with plot auctions to follow in November. Reports give the fair's start as November 24 or November 26, around Kartik Purnima.

Bali Jatra, which means "voyage to Bali", recalls the time when traders from the coast of what is now Odisha sailed to Bali and other lands across the sea. According to tradition, families float small boats on water on Kartik Purnima to remember those voyages. In Cuttack, the observance has grown into a large open-air fair, with stalls selling handicrafts, clothes, food and household goods, and amusement rides.

Inviting Indonesia as a partner country turns a local memory of the sea trade into a living cultural link. Bali and other Indonesian islands are part of the same story the fair celebrates, and an Indonesian presence can bring dance, music, crafts and food from the other side of that old trade route. For visitors, it means the fair will show both ends of a shared history, not just one.

The plastic-free plan is the other big change. A fair that draws large crowds over a week produces a great deal of waste, much of it plastic packaging, bags and disposable plates. Banning plastic in food and trade zones is a practical test of whether large festivals can be run more cleanly, and it will depend on vendors finding affordable alternatives such as leaf plates, paper bags and cloth.

For traders, the next two weeks matter most: plots must be registered by October 30 and won at auction in November, and the venue decision will affect where stalls are placed.

Short-term: Traders and vendors have until October 30 to register for plots; the November auctions will decide who gets space. Cuttack's administration is also preparing traffic, parking and safety plans for the crowds.

Long-term: An international partner country and a plastic-free model could raise Bali Jatra's profile as a cultural tourism event and set an example for other large fairs in Odisha and elsewhere.

Who is affected: Traders, artisans and food vendors from across Odisha and other states; visitors to Cuttack; the district administration; and cultural groups from Indonesia taking part in the fair.

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