The Jatra season begins from autumn and continues until the monsoon months of June.
The origin of Jatra is variously attributed to the Natya Shastra and the rise of Vaishnavism in Odisha by 16th cen CE.
The Odia jatra tradition has evolved and diversified through centuries from stories based on the epics with theater performance in Odisha based on stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana and later modern plays were also included.
[1] Jatra was revived during the period of Baishṇaba Pāṇi with the introduction of "gitinatya" (musical performance).
[2] The Odishan jatras are very popular across Odisha across rural settings mostly focused on mythological themes.