Artists give finishing touches to exhibits at the week-long Adivasi Mela at Tribal Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 24: The capital city is all set to turn into a kaleidoscope of tribal communities of the state. The annual ethnic festival celebrating the lifestyle and culture of tribals, the Adivasi Mela organised by state SC and ST development department will begin on January 26 and arrangements for the vibrant event are in the final stages.

The unique festival dates back to 1951, when it was first held in Cuttack. Later it was shifted to Bhubaneswar. Though it went into a hiatus from 1962 to 1967, it was revived later and has been a regular annual event from 1982 onwards. The festival showcases various aspects of tribal life and culture starting from tribal art and craft, dance and culture, rituals festivals and jewellery.

“This year the event has around 150 stalls that will be divided into various sections,” said assistant agriculture officer and in-charge of the Adivasi Mela, Jyoti Ranjan Mohapatra, Assistant Agriculture Officer and in-charge of the Adivasi Mela. The venue, the Adivasi exhibition ground, has been transformed into a tribal village wherein a section has been skilfully crafted into a tribal haat (market) while other sections have been created in the form of tribal houses to give the right ambience of tribal lifestyle. While one section will be dedicated to display of tribal art and culture which comprises of nine stalls including a tribal art gallery that has been painted and created by the participants, other sections will be illustrating the various development projects for tribal welfare initiated by the government. These will also give a picture of the growth of the tribal areas, said officials.

“The participation in the tribal festival includes members from self help groups, NGOs, government bodies for tribal development and government undertakings from 21 Integrated Tribal Development Agencies of primitive tribal groups,” said Mohapatra. “Tribal women members of these bodies will be selling their products at the stalls while many sections will be dedicated to the display of various aspects of tribal life,” he said.Members of eight micro projects of sub-tribes are also participating in the event.

The event will have handicraft and textiles section, food pavilion and a theme pavilion. “The theme pavilion will depict the works of Orissa Tribal Livelihood Project since the theme of this year for the fair is ‘Sustainable Tribal Development’.

It will be the highlight of the event for its wonderful crafting into a huge tribal house,” Mohapatra said.

All the paintings, makeshift huts and houses at the venue have been created by tribal participants. “It is a proud feeling for us to present our art and craft here and that too in the authentic way,” says Purandhar Naik, a Gond tribal artist from Keonjhar.

“Let us see how people like the new look of the fair this year. We are very happy to be here at the event,” said Libisini Sabar, a Saura woman from Gunpur.