PM inaugurates Aadi Mahotsav at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium

Newdelhi:16/2/23:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav, the mega National Tribal Festival at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi today. Aadi Mahotsav is an attempt to showcase tribal culture on the national stage and it celebrates the spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce and traditional art. It is an annual initiative of the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Limited (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Upon arriving at the venue, the Prime Minister paid floral tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda and took a walk-through of the stalls at the exhibition.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that Aadi Mahotsav is presenting a grand picture of India’s tribal heritage during the Azadi Ka Amirt Mahotsav. The Prime Minister highlighted the prestigious tableau of the tribal societies of India and expressed delight at getting the opportunity to witness the various flavours, colours, adornments, traditions, art and art forms, delicacies and music. He said that the Aadi Mahotsav represents a picture of the diversity and magnificence of India standing together shoulder to shoulder. “The Aadi Mahotsav is like an infinite sky where the diversity of India is projected like the colours of a rainbow”, the Prime Minister remarked. Drawing an analogy to the colours of a rainbow coming together, the Prime Minister said that the nation’s magnificence comes to the fore when its infinite diversities are threaded into the string of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ and that is when India provides guidance to the entire world. He emphasized that the Aadi Mahotsav is giving strength to the unity in diversity of India while giving impetus to the idea of development with heritage.

Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs; Smt Renuka Singh Suruta and Shri Bishweswar Tudu, Ministers of State for Tribal Affairs; Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar , Chairman TRIFED Shri Ramsinh Rathwa and Secretary Tribal Affairs, Shri Anil Kumar Jha were among those present on the occasion.

On the occasion Prime Minister was presented with several gift items which included Pashmina Wool from from Ladakh; Patchitra painting; Dhokara Sculpture from Chattisgarh and  Shree Anna basket. The Prime Minister was also welcomed with a traditional headgear from Tripura.

On the occasion, there were numerous dance performances that oozed with energy and vibrancy. Choreographed by dancer Rani Khanum, the performance included Bagurumba of Assam, Panthi Dance of Chhattisgarh, Gusadi of Telangana, Baiga Pardhauni of Madhya Pradesh, Tamang Selo of Sikkim, Siddhi Dhamal of Gujarat, Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, and Harul dance of Uttarakhand (Harul nritya).