Bhubaneswar hosts tribal festival
By ANIThursday, January 28, 2010
BHUBANESWAR - Orissa capital Bhubaneswar is playing host to a week-long State-level Adivasi Mela.
A 25 Integrated Tribal Development Agencies, scores of self-help groups and NGOS’ are participating in the fair.
From food to handicrafts, song and dance, the festival is showcasing Orissa’s centuries old tribal culture.
” We don’t get a chance to see their culture here, things like their food. We can’t see what their food is like because we don’t get it here. So that’s why we have this festival,” said Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Welfare Minister.
Over the years, the event has become popular. This year, the Adivasi Mela will run for two weeks as opposed to five days.
“It’s very nice, it’s just what we expected, to see a lot of people from the tribes here,” said Loder, a European tourist.
The Adivasi Mela ends on February 6. (ANI)
