The Orissa High Court has directed the Cuttack district administration to organise the annual Balijatra festival on both the Upper Padia and Lower Padia grounds beside the Mahanadi river, putting to rest the ongoing confusion over the venue.

The festival, which celebrates the voyages of ancient Odia seafarers to Southeast Asia and beyond, will be held from November 5 to 12 this year.

The state government had granted permission to host the festival on land developed under the Mahanadi Riverfront Development Project near Lower Padia . However, several stakeholders opposed this move, pointing out that Upper Padia carries deep historical significance as the original site of the festival nearly 500 years ago. They argued that shifting the event entirely to Lower Padia would mean relocat

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