National Tribal Dance Festival to be held from Oct 28 in Raipur

The three-day festival will host artists belonging to diverse tribal communities from several countries

Indian and international dance groups will take part in the National Tribal Dance Festival to take place in Raipur from October 28, the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board said in a statement on Monday.

The three-day festival, organised under the tourism development plan of the Chhattisgarh government, will host artists belonging to diverse tribal communities from countries, including Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Syria, Mali, Palestine, and Kingdom of Eswatini.

The artists from tribal areas of Bastar, Dantewada, Koriya, Korba, Bilaspur, Gariabandh, Mainpur, Dhura, Dhamtari, Surguja and Jashpur in Chhattisgarh will present their own distinctive history, culture and traditions.

"Chhattisgarh is home to many indigenous tribes of India contributing to the vibrant culture of the state of which we are very proud. The National Tribal Dance Festival will promote and celebrate the uniqueness of tribal culture and showcase the richness and diversity of tribal life of Chhattisgarh and other states to the world," Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said in a statement.

In 2019, the first edition of the National Tribal Dance Festival saw participation of tribal communities from across 25 states of India and six guest countries and an attendance of over one lakh people.

The festival will feature special dance forms of tribes from Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir among 27 states this year.

The dance performances will be held in two categories – ‘wedding ceremonies' and 'other prominent rituals'.

Apart from highlighting tribal art and culture, the festival will also feature discussions on economic development initiatives of tribal communities.

“The tribal population constitutes a major chunk of the total population of Chhattisgarh. Our objective is to preserve the tribal heritage by developing initiatives that promote the tangible and intangible parts of the tribal culture. National Tribal Dance Festival is a unique celebration that will not only showcase the various tribal dance forms but also help in conserving and promoting our tribal traditions and values," said culture minister Amarjeet Bhagat.

The visitors will get the opportunity to enjoy delectable tribal cuisine of Chhattisgarh, explore tribal-inspired fashion exhibits and a craft market of local and tribal handicrafts, the statement said.

The festival will come to an end on October 30.

Check out the latest DH videos here: