Bhubaneswar, May 16: Folk dance and music performances by artistes from across the country are attracting local connoisseurs as well as tourists at a five-day folk fair in Puri.

The event, which started yesterday evening, is the 15th edition of the annual national-level Tribal and Folk Dance Fair organised by cultural organisation Shree Shrikshetra Soochana at Muktakash Rangamancha.

More than 22 states - including Sikkim, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Manipur, Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha - have sent their troupes and artistes to the festival.

Everyday, 16 teams representing their states will showcase a special aspect of their folk culture.

The festival aims at encouraging interaction between tribal and folk cultures, while giving artistes from across the country a platform to perform.

"Our country is home to a unique cultural legacy, especially in dance and music. But many of these art forms seldom get a stage and also many of these artistes have never performed beyond their state. Lord Jagannath, the chief deity of Puri, is basically a tribal god. Therefore, we wish to promote tribal art and culture," said Rajesh Mohanty, the organiser of the festival.

From Punjabi bhangra to tribal dance of Mizoram and from Gujarati dandiya to folk dance of the hills in Uttarakhand, the cultural festival has already seen some fascinating performances.

"Indigenous folk art and dance forms are on the verge of extinction in an era that is seeing various modern means of entertainment. Watching these unique dance forms is a special experience," said Lucien Moritz, a tourist from Germany.

Folk dances of the state such as koria from Koraput, baja sal from Bhawanipatna, Sambalpuri folk dance and Mayurbhanj chhau are also being showcased at the festival.