Krishna, nemesis of Kansa, is born

BARGARH: The highlight of day two on Saturday was the much-awaited birth of Lord Krishna. With this, the Dhanu Yatra has livened up and begun to draw crowds.Enactment of ‘Krishna Leela and Mathura Vijay’, began with demon King Kansa forcibly taking over the reigns from  his father King Ugrasen and imprisoning his sister Devaki and her husband Basudev after a celestial voice warned him of death by her eighth child (Krishna). As the parents were aware that Kansa would kill the newborn, Basudev embarks on a journey to Ambapali which turns to Gopapur with the river Jeera, flowing in between Bargarh and Ambapali, converting into the Yamuna.  The guards of the prison in deep slumber, Basudev sneaks out with baby Krishna and carries him on his head to Gopapur __ an enactment more popularly referred to as “Basudev’s Gopapur Gamana”. He replaces Krishna with Bijuli Kanya, daughter of Yashoda who happens to bring up Krishna. Later, Basudev  put Bijuli Kanya on the lap of Devaki. It is Bijuli Kanya who slipped out of the hands of King Kansa and warned him of impending death as he tried to kill her taking the baby as the eighth child.  The entire drama will now shift to Gopapur from Sunday.It was a different sight at Ambapali with the entire village wearing a festive look to welcome Lord Krishna. Aryan Dash (7) and Ayush Dash (10) are playing the role of Krishna and His brother Balaram respectively.Sunday will be marked by inauguration of Ranga Mahal where cultural programmes will be performed throughout the festival. Collector Bhabagrahi Mishra inaugurated the stage on the direction of King Kansa.