The third edition of ‘National Tribal Dance Festival’ kick-starts in the capital city of Chhattisgarh as the state celebrates its 22nd foundation day on Tuesday. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated the three day event held at the Science College ground in Raipur.
Addressing the ceremony CM Bhupesh Baghel said, “The solidarity and unity of the world will prevail if efforts are made to preserve traditional values and protect the rights of the tribals across the world.”
“The objective of this festival is to protect the age-old traditions and rights of tribals and promote it across the world,” CM Baghel said, addressing the inaugural ceremony.
The chief minister said that the wrong concept of development has become a threat to nature. Besides, it has also posed a threat to the rights of tribals .
He said, “The changing times have brought a change in the people’s lifestyle and the modern way of thinking has become an enemy of our nature.”
The chief minister played the tribal instrument and Nagada at the inaugural ceremony.
Over 1500 domestic and international artists from 28 different states and 7 union territories are taking part in the event along with artists from ten different countries including Mozambique, Togo, Egypt, Mongolia, Indonesia, Russia, New Zealand, Serbia, Rwanda and Maldives.
On the occasion of the National Tribal Dance Festival, the Chief Minister released postal stamps and envelopes issued by the Postal Department and several table books of the National Tribal Dance Festival for the year 2021. In the program, tribal dancers from Mozambique, Russia and Mongolia presented beautiful dances in their own distinctive style.
The chief minister said that the National Tribal Dance Festival has given a great opportunity to tribals across the world to share each other’s thoughts and experiences. He said that there is a great similarity in instruments, rhythm and feel of every tribal dance form, which proves that there is a special bond that unites all of them.
He informed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been reached between the State Government and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi to provide an opportunity and platform to the tribal artists of Chhattisgarh to perform abroad.
Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, Dr. Charandas Mahant, who presided over the program, said that the National Tribal Dance Festival is being organized with the aim of giving more respect to the tribals.
He said, under the leadership of Chief Minister, the state government is working very well for the progress of Chhattisgarhiya and Chhattisgarhi.
Ministers of various departments, Parliament Secretaries, MLAs, President of the Corporation Board, Egypt’s Councilor Image, Togo Councilor Maza, Haryana’s Principal Secretary (Culture) D. Suresh and many public representatives and citizens were present in the program.
