A 15-day-long Adivasi Mela held at the Adivasi Exhibition Ground here concluded on February 9. The fair brought various tribal products, tribal home decor crafts, and spices which were very popular among city people here. Artifacts made of metal, wood, stone and other materials were also available. In 164 stalls, art and crafts of tribal people, tribal food and the living style of the tribal people were showcased.
Some tribal people were present there in their hut premises with their traditional costume and the city people got a chance to interact with them directly. Model huts of Ho tribe, Bathudi tribe of Kaptipada, Kutia Kandha from Nabrangpur, Bhumija tribe, Santal, Munda, Khadia tribes were also exhibited and with these, the Adivasi ground was looking like a tribal village. And with tribal products like different types of oils i.e., Nim oil, Karanja oil, Kusuma, jada and rasi etc, pickles, pampad and bari, the ground was packed with tribal merchandises.
Kanaklata Nayak of Mayurbhanj district said the home made oils available here are in great demand, as these oils cure many diseases. Krushna Chandra Biswal from Kaptipada exhibited artificial model pet animals, the process of farming of his area and their traditional God in his Bathudi hut premises.
The fair also showcased a rich collection of tribal crafts such as paintings and showpieces made by the State’s tribal people. One can also know the entire process of rubber farming of Mayurbhanj and Gajapati district in the mela. A farmer Tutu Mahakud from Mayurbhanj district said people here are very interested to know about the procedure, as they have the curiosity to know.
One of the attractions of the fair was an old tribal man standing in a model hut premises playing a string instrument, called Kendara. Many cultural programmes including tribal dance pieces were also organised in the evenings over the 15 days. It was hosted by the ST and SC Development Department.