The week-long celebration dedicated to tribal communities of India, which commenced on November 15th continues across the country with full enthusiasm and throws light on different colours of tribal culture.
The celebrations of ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’, inaugurated by Prime Minister as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, are underway across India with great enthusiasm. 15thNovember, which happens to be the birth anniversary of the legendary tribal freedom fighter, Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be celebrated every year as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’. Starting from 15th November, programmes are being organised across the country to honour the legacy of the tribal freedom fighters, who till now have remained the unsung heroes of our freedom struggle.
The celebrations have witnessed impressive cultural events taking place in 13 states and New Delhi. Shri Sukhram Munda grandson of Bhagwan Birsa Munda inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav, National tribal festival at Dilli Haat, which will continue till 30th November. The festivals will showcasethe grandeur of tribal crafts, cuisine and heritage of different tribal communities. More than 200-stall exhibition is also offering variety of products – from hand-woven cotton, silk fabrics, handmade jewellery and exquisite cuisines by artisans from across India.
The state of Gujarat organised a 5 day traditional tribal craft, food, herbal sales and exhibition fair at Ahmedabad Haat, which was inaugurated by e Minister of Department of Tribal Development, Shri Naresh Patel and Minister of State for Tribal Development, Smt Nimishaben Suthar. The event showcases traditional tribal art and crafts, organic food and also the tribal herbs and medicinal knowledge. The fair turned out to be a meeting ground for interactions between the state’s tribal folklore and the urban dwellers. The event was marked by traditional tribal dance performance, which represented the rich culture of tribes and their togetherness.
Tribal Research Institute Manipur, under the Department of Tribal Affairs & Hills, had organised a 3-day state level workshop on tribal art & paintings competition from 16th– 18th November 2021 in collaboration with the Imphal Art College, which was inaugurated by Shri Letkhogin Haokip, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur. The competition is aimed to boost the creative skills, personalities, confidence, mental and imaginative skills of the youth of the tribal communities.
Telangana released a series of video documentaries based on the two legendary freedom fighters – Ramji Gond and Komaram Bheem. The programme was eventful as the participants were descendants of the freedom fighters.
Chhattisgarh organized a grand two-day Tribal Artisans Craft Mela, from Nov 15 – Nov-17, to provide better economic opportunities and inter-cultural interactions with other tribal artisans. The mela saw large crowds of enthusiastic people engaging in frolics and interacting with the tribal artisans. The objective of the mela was a 3-P step of preserving, promoting and popularizing tribal traditional art and crafts. The efforts for the commercial viability of tribal artisans gave them a sense of self-empowerment
Janjatya Gaurav Divas was celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory with great fanfare and saw participation from different quarters. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu, Sh Manoj Sinha chaired the function at Jammu while Divisional Commissioners and DMs organised the event at 20 different districtsof UT. All educational institutions, NGOs celebrated the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas by organizing different type of functions.
Two Day Capacity Building Programme for Preparation of GPDP in Tribal Areas was organized in association with NTRI, Delhi and Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda joined the event virtually.
The culturally-rich islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands alsoorganised a ‘Cultural Programme of Jarawa Tribe’ to present their glorious heritage and art forms on 16th November.
All these initiatives have been organised to provide a platform for the tribal communities to present their talent in various fields and lay out a roadmap for their all-round development.
