The three-day annual tribal festival Mondei-2016 that concluded on Thursday night recorded huge footfalls this year.
The ongoing Palishree Mela turned out to be a major crowd-puller for the festival. In view of the heavy crowds, the district administration had extended another two days for cultural programmes. A series of cultural programmes were staged on the valedictory evening.
Dance performances, including Rangabati, Dhap by the Sambalpur Dance Academy, lokanrutya of Jharsuguda and Rayagada and Odishi by noted danseuse Saswat Joshi and troupes mesmerised the audience with their scintillating performances.
A performance by a local tribal dance group of Nabarangpur, directed by Babu Patro, was highly applauded.
Urban Development Minister Puspendra Singh Deo, Commerce and Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi, local MP Balabhadra Majhi and MlAs Manohar Randhari and Subash Gond attended the three-day extravaganza. Among others, Collector Rashmita Panda, DRDA PD Dr Poma Tudu, Sub-Collector Gavili Parag Harshad, BDO Gunanidhi Nayak and DIPRO Haladhar Nial were present.