jatra

Jatra, from the Sanskrit yatra meaning journey, is a term used in South Asia to describe both religious processions and a popular form of folk theatre. It is most closely associated with Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha, where it has long served as a communal festival and a traveling form of entertainment.

In Nepal, jatra refers to large-scale street festivals and processions honoring deities, often featuring chariot rides, temple rituals, dances, and masquerade performances. Major urban jatras include Indra Jatra in Kathmandu and other jatras held throughout the year. In rural areas, villages stage smaller jatras to mark harvests, temple anniversaries, or auspicious events.

In Bengal and Odisha, jatra also denotes a distinct theatre tradition. Traveling troupes perform on open-air stages or improvised platforms, blending melodrama, song, dance, spoken dialogue, and humor. Performances may recount mythological episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as secular or social satire; plays can run for many nights, with improvisation and audience participation common.

Musical accompaniment typically includes instruments such as the dhol, nagara, tabla, harmonium, and flute, and costumes are colorful and expressive, often with masks. Jatra has historically provided entertainment for rural and urban audiences alike and has remained a living tradition, though it faces modernization, competition from cinema and television, and concerns about stage safety and representation.