Tribal folk artists from eight states, showcased dance forms depicting their unique culture and folklore at the National Tribal Dance Festival 2023 in Oridha’s Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

The dance fest is being organized at Adivasi Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar as part of a five-day mega event that kicked off on Monday.

“Tribal artists from Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam participated on the first day of the event. Cultural exchange among tribals of different states takes place here,” Indramani Tripathy, Director of SC-ST Research and Training Institute, Bhubaneswar told ANI.

This year’s edition of the National Tribal Dance Festival and National Tribal Craft Mela was inaugurated on March 13 and will continue till March 19.
“The dance festival is scheduled as a three-day event in which 25 exhilarating and ethnic dance forms of 17 Indian Tribes from 12 different states will be staged,” an official said.

According to the officials, the two events are being organised by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute, Bhubaneswar every year with support from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.

The National Tribal Dance Festival has reached its 12th year and the National Tribal Craft Mela is in its 10th year of celebration.
Talking to ANI, the director said, “Both events provide a platform to showcase the richness of the traditional heritage and culture of Indian Tribes. Over the Year, these annual events are gradually becoming more popular and attractive.”

The National Tribal Dance Festival will end on March 15 between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm while National Tribal Craft Mela will be happening until March 19.
In the National Tribal Craft Mela, 14 states including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Odisha will showcase exquisite products of bamboo craft, lacquer craft, paddy craft, stonework, Sabai & Siali craft, woodcraft, leaf craft, tribal painting, iron craft and textiles among many others.

The national level events were inaugurated by Jagannath Saraka, Minister, ST & SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare and Law, Government of Odisha.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Sulochana Das, Roopa Roshan Sahoo, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, ST & SC Development, M&BCW department, Indramani Tripathy, Director, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute, Bhubaneswar and other dignitaries also attended the event, as informed by the officials.