Bharata Lila

theater form of Ganjam district of Odisha. The plot is based on characters of the Mahabharata, thus the name of the form. Because of the importance of a central character Duari, Arjuna's sentry, it is also called Duari Nata or Duari Llla.^[1] The focal point of the plot is the story of Arjuna & Subhadra's romance, which is why it is also known as Subhadra Harana.^[2] Apart from Ganjam, it is also performed in some parts in western Odisha. The play is known for its effective use of humour within the traditional storyline.^[3] A regular performance of Bharata Lila in the 21st century goes on for about 10–12 hours. In the last century performances used to last for a couple of days at a stretch. The badi is a performance method in Odisha's traditional artforms where opponents compete with each other. In urban settings, Bharata Lila performances are regularly condensed to just 2–3 hours owing to lack of time.^[4][5]