National Tribal Dance Festival 2021: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel inaugurate the event

The festival will see performances based on the dance forms of the tribes of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, among other states.

The dance festival of Chhattisgarh, as part of the tourism development plan of the state, was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel on October 28 at Science College ground in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. Earlier, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board released in a statement that the three-day dance festival will kickstart from October 28 and will go on for the next three days. The festival will be held in the same ground till November 1.

The festival 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 represent their culture and traditions through their dance forms.

Speaking of the National Tribal Dance Festival, earlier Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said in a statement, “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.”

The first edition of the dance festival was held in 2019, where it saw a massive success with participation from 25 states of India and 6 countries, and with a footfall of around 1 lakh people. This year, beside the dance performances, the festival will also be used as a platform to address economic development initiatives of tribal communities.

The dance performances will be held in two prominent categories - ‘wedding ceremonies' and 'other prominent rituals'. The festival will see performances based on the dance forms of the tribes of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, among other states.

"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 statement of Chhattisgarh Tourism Board further added, that besides the dance performances, this festival will provide a wholesome experience of Chhattisgarh to its visitors. From the local cuisine to tribal-inspired fashion exhibits and local handicrafts, this dance festival will give the people the true experience of being in Chhattisgarh.

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