Participants from various states perform tribal and folk dances at the National Adibasi Loka Nrutya and Loka Geeta Mahatsav in Puri. Pictures by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, May 24: The Braj Rasalila folk theatre and dance of Uttar Pradesh and the Thang Ta dance by artistes from Manipur are entertaining hundreds in Puri.

Tribal and folk dance and music performances by performers from across the country are attracting local connoisseurs of dance and music as well as tourists at a five-day folk fair.

The event that kicked off on Sunday evening is the ninth edition of the annual national level tribal and folk dance fair organised by Puri-based cultural outfit Shree Shrikshetra Soochana.

More than a dozen states are participating in the cultural festival where the troupes of artistes have been selected by the respective departments of art and culture of the states. Everyday, 10 different teams representing different states showcase a special aspect of their folk culture.

The colourful and vibrant ghoomar from Rajasthan regaled thousands gathered at the open air auditorium of Gundicha Temple for its striking ghagras and the stunning rotation of the dancers. Similarly, pahadi music and dance by artistes from Uttaranchal is also winning hearts for its fascinating tunes and interesting dance forms.

“The festival presents a wide variety of folk dances and music that are exclusive to certain states of the country. Thus, it gives us a great opportunity to browse through the varied culture of our country,” said Manmath Tripathy, a local resident.

“The variety and remarkable cultural heritage of India is brought out with ease through the festival. I’m enjoying every dance form and also the wide range of musical instruments and styles of music being presented here,” said Dorothy Grace, a tourist.

The organisers said the festival was an effort to encourage the intermingling of different tribal and folk cultures of the country, while giving artistes from across the country a platform to perform in front of tourists and other artistes.

“Each region of the country has a unique cultural legacy, specially when it comes to dance and music. But they seldom come on one stage. We try to give all the artistes a common platform to perform. This also helps people from different parts of the country who visit Puri round the year, know more about the cultural diversity of India,” said Rajesh Mohanty, secretary of the organising group.

The participants belong to states such as, Sikkim, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Manipur, West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa.

Folk dances of the state such as Koria from Koraput, Baja Sal from Bhawanipatna, Sambalpuri folk dance and Mayurbhanj Chhau are being performed here.

“Though Bhangra is shown in movies and on the television, there are specific folk songs and occasions that call for the special steps of the dance. It is amazing to see people love the pure form of Bhangra that we are performing here,” said Sukhwinder Singh, group leader of the Delhi team.

“I’m enjoying every bit of the festival. It’s not just performing but watching so many folk dance forms is just as exciting for our team,” said Shyamsundar Sanyal, a member of the group from Uttaranchal.

The festival will continue till Thursday.