Jharkhand is yet again gearing up to observe the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with much pomp and show. The State government observes August 9 as a State holiday.
The official two-day function will be held at the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park or the old Birsa Munda Central Jail, where the tribal icon died in captivity. Tribal artistes from all over the country have been requested to participate. A Book Fair, Food Festival and live demonstrations of Soharai and Dokra Arts will be the main attractions. The interested ones will be getting opportunities to learn these art forms from experts.
32 tribal communities will take out a Reej-Rang Shobha Yatra from Dhumkudia Bhawan Karam Toli Chowk to Birsa Munda Smriti Udyan Jail Chowk for Jharkhand Tribal Festival 2024. As the chief guest of Jharkhand Tribal Festival 2024, State Coordination Committee cum MP Rajya Sabha Shri Shibu Soren will inaugurate the exhibition camp, tribal painter camp and tribal cuisine at the fair. Thereafter, flowers will be offered by him at the martyr's altar. State Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren will preside over the program.
In the cultural program, artists from other states like Mizoram, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tripura, Chhattisgarh etc. will give their captivating performance of traditional tribal dance.
In the fair, Akhada Darshan, song dance of 8 tribes, Nagpuri song dance by Padmashri Mukund Nayak, Janani Jhumar, Varsha Lakra and her group will present a narrative musical dance drama of the historical saga of Lord Birsa Munda, presentation by Santhali Band (modern Santhali singing and playing singer Sharon Marandi), Jharkhand Jharokha folk art musical instruments and costumes. At the same time, Tribal Culture in Fragman Stylish in Costume Darshan will be presented by the tribal disabled children of Parivartan Sanstha and a drama based on character traits will be presented by the students of Ashram School. This time, 12 books will be released in the fair and forest rights patta will also be distributed.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who reviewed the progress of the preparations on Tuesday, has directed officials to ensure that the event has no shortcomings right from the seating of the guests and visitors to its grandeur. He instructed the officials to ensure Jharkhand’s rich cultural heritage is on full display even as he issued a specific direction that no plant or tree gets harmed at the Park during the event. He also called for giving priority to local artistes in the events lined up for the occasion.