Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited annual Adivasi Mela 2024 will be held in the Capital city from January 26 to February 5. According to an official release, the fair will be organised at its original location, Adivasi Exhibition Ground at Unit-I, after a gap of six years and will remain open from 2:30 pm to 9 pm. Stalls in the traditional Adivasi Haat and Tribal Art and Crafts segment will be erected by 22 Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs), 17 Micro Project Areas (MPAs), and various line departments of the state government. The annual culture-cum-trade fair is a flagship event of SC/ST Development, Minorities, and Backward Classes Welfare Department, featuring tribal life and anthropology while providing a market for the sale of agricultural products, minor forest produce, and craft materials.
The most interesting part of the fair is the life-size Adivasi Gaon (tribal huts) showcasing the lifestyle and culture of the different tribal communities and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). This year, huts of Kutia Kandha, Santhal, Paudi Bhuyan, Hill Khadia and Mankirdia, Juanga Munda, Gadaba, Dongria Kandha, Lanjia Saora, Bonda and Chuktia Bhunjia will be erected at the fair ground. While 39 cultural groups will stage tribal dances from January 26 to February 1, a Bhajan Sandhya will be organised January 30, and a drama by the SC/ST Development Department Cultural Association February 2.
Similarly, multilingual dramas by different tribal communities will be staged between February 3 and 5. Organisations such as Mission Shakti, ORMAS, Millet Mission, Handloom Textiles and Handicrafts, Planning and Convergence, I&PR, and institutions like SCSTRTI, Academy of Tribal Languages and Culture (ATLC), Tribal Museum and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences will participate in the fair. The Adivasi Mela serves as a platform to raise awareness about the tribal development scenario in the state, highlighting how tribal communities integrate themselves with the mainstream while preserving their anthropogenic identity and uniqueness.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
