The name literally means 'going' or 'journey'. It is performing art combining acting, songs, music and dance, stylised delivery, exaggerated gestures and orations, all bordering on melodrama. Jatra is believed to have developed from ceremonial functions conducted before setting out on a journey. Yet others believe that it developed from processions brought out in honour of various deities.

The original Jatra as an art form may be traced back to at least the 16th century. In Chaitanyabhagavad (1548), Brindavan Das describes a dramatic performance during which Sri Chaitanya (who founded the Bhakti movement in Bengal) himself played the role of Rukmini (Krishna’s wife). There were no actresses, and female roles were played by male actors, who were supported by musical and choral accompaniment. A typical jatra was held in open space, on level ground, with the audience seated round the stage. There was no raised platform or curtain. There were occasional exchanges between spectators and performers.

A jatra performance generally lasted about four hours and was divided into five acts – an influence of the 19th century colonial theatre. Following each act, the prompter would ring a bell to signal the end of the act. During the intervals between acts, there were songs, dances and comic displays aplenty. The Jatra performance usually ended a little before daybreak. The themes were mainly religious.

Jatras were also conducted in temple yards, public grounds and courtyards of homes. The rising popularity of jatra in the 18th century led to improvisation of elevated stages, comprising bamboo poles and planks or alternatively wooden platforms. However the audience continued still continued to sit round the stage.

The accompanying musical instruments included the Dholak, (a small drum) Kartal (cymbals) mandira (a variety of cymbals) and Khol (a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music. One sides of the khol is much smaller than the other. Both sides are covered with animal hide. The hide on the smaller side is covered with a dried paste so that different regions of the surface will sound different. The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands) .

The Adhikari, manager of the jatra troupe often doubled up as the narrator, commenting on the songs and dialogues and providing a link between the scenes. The social decadence of the early 19th century was reflected in the jatra, which became increasingly crude and vulgar.

Gradually a number of reforms were introduced. Classical ragas were replaced with popular tunes. The number of dances and dancers was reduced. Female roles continued to be acted by male actors, but the convention of singing by proxy was introduced. The songs of male characters were sung by male singers, while those of female characters were sung by young actors. Live orchestra incorporated a number of western instruments e.g. violin, harmonium and clarinet.

A major change took place in the jatra, after the World War I when nationalistic and patriotic themes were incorporated into it. the jatra. Though religious myths and sentimental romances still continued, yet nationalism and patriotic fervour of Bengal also found its expression in the jatra. Decades later, when the struggle for independence was nearing its climax, the socio-political content of jatra surpassed religious themes. A major change that took place around this time was in the induction of actresses to enact female roles.