Raipur
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said the National Tribal Dance Festival aims to protect the age-old traditions and rights of tribals and promoting it across the world.
He inaugurated the fest by lighting the traditional lamp in the presence of Assembly Speaker Charandas Mahant. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony on November 3.
The Rajyotsav (statehood) 2022 celebration too is being celebrated simultaneously with the fest at the Government Science College ground in Raipur. Chhattisgarh came into existence on November 1, 2000 after the bifurcation of Madhya Pradesh.
Baghel said the wrong concept of development has become a threat to nature and the rights of tribals.
“The changing times have brought a transformation to people’s lifestyle. Today, our thinking of development has been divided into two ways. In one way of thinking, our primitive values persist even today, while the other way which calls itself modern has become an enemy of our nature,” Baghel said.
“The wrong concept of development has become a threat to nature. Besides, it has also posed a threat to the rights of tribals over their “jal jungle zameen” (water, forest and land), he added.
“If we preserve our traditional values, then solidarity and unity will also prevail. Even that thinking of development will also remain, which is necessary to save the humanity,” he said.
The Chhattisgarh Sarva Adivasi Samaj (CSAS), an umbrella organisation of 42 tribal communities of the state, is, however, boycotting the event accusing the government of failing to protect their reservation rights as the High Court recent struck down the 58 percent reservation quota citing it as unconstitutional.
Chhattisgarh is blessed with abundance of natural resources. About 44% of land cover in Chhattisgarh is dominated by forests and the tribal population accounts for 31% of its total population. As many as 42 types of tribes reside in the state. This festival helps the tribal artists to showcase their tribal art forms.
Tribal artistes from Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand, Rwanda and Egypt are participating in the fest that will enable cultural and artistic sharing between them.
Moreover, these communities will also become aware of each other’s unique lifestyles, cultures, and food habits. This endeavour is proving to be very beneficial not only for Chhattisgarh but for the cultural interaction of tribal communities worldwide, officials said.
Tribes living in forests, away from the influence of modernity, have their own rich tribal culture and tradition. Different tribes also have their own festivals, folk dances and songs.
“To recognize the art and culture of these tribal groups, the Tribal Dance Festival is being organized under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, on the occasion of the 23rd foundation day of Chhattisgarh,” the officials added.
The dance festival is being held on the theme of ‘harvesting’ and ‘tribal traditions and customs’
The winners will be felicitated with prizes worth Rs. 20 lakh. Cash prizes worth Rs. 5 lakh, Rs. 3 lakh, and Rs. 2 lakh will be awarded to the first, second, and third positions.
