Indore: Preparations are afoot in Chhattisgarh that is going to host its first national level tribal dance festival from December 27 to 29 in Raipur. Tribal dance troupes from over 30 states, numbering over 2500, are expected to take part in the festivities.
Madhya Pradesh, which has around 21 per cent tribal population is also going to participate and tribal dancers from tribal districts like Jhabua, Alirajpur, Dhar, Barwani, Shahdol, Dindori are busy preparing to showcase their talent in the national scene through this festival.
According to plans, each state will send four groups of tribal dancers and each group will have 15 dancers each.
The dance competition will be based on four themes. This includes dances on weddings or auspicious occasions, dance during harvest/agricultural based festivals, dance during traditional festivals and the last category is an open competition.
During this dance festival, exhibitions stalls highlighting government welfare schemes, products from cottage industry, tribal arts from Bastar and Sarguja, various regional cuisines, art and culture of Chhattisgarh will be put up.
Official sources said that a state-level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to chalk out the programme schedule.
Other members in the committee include Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey, Tribal Welfare Minister Dr Premsai Singh Tekam, Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar, Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat and Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Umesh Patel. Culture Department has been made the nodal department for organising the programme.
Chief Secretary, DGP, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and some other senior bureaucrats too have been included in the committee as members. Baghel is in touch with other chief ministers and ministers of tribal areas to ensure that the programme is a success.
