10-day Adivasi Mela 2022 inaugurated at IDCO Exhibition Ground

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated The Adivasi Mela 2022 and the National Tribal Art and Craft Exhibition at IDCO Exhibition Ground, Unit-III Bhubaneswar today evening.

The Adivasi Mela 2022 along with the National Tribal Art and Craft exhibition will be held from 3:30 PM to 9: 30 PM from April 23, 2022 to May 2, 2022. As the mela is being organized in a restricted manner, no Tribal Gaon segment has been installed.

In 2021, the Adivasi Mela was held in a hybrid mode due to Corona pandemic situation.

A total of 187 stalls have been put up for both Adivasi Mela and the National Tribal Art and Craft Exhibition.

The fair showcases the colorful tribal art and craft, forest and tribal produces along with stage performance of tribal dances every evening. ‘Live demo of tribal and crafts’ are the special highlights of the exhibition.

In tribal haat segment, ITDAs, micro projects have sponsored 61 tribal SHGs for selling their products. This apart Mission Shakti, ORMAS and TDCC have also put up their stalls for sell of tribal product.

At the National Tribal Art and Craft Exhibition segment, apart from Odisha, 17 states have participated to show case their rich art and craft tradition.

The Adivasi Mela, the annual culture-cum-trade fair was first started in 1951 at Cuttack. It was shifted to Bhubaneswar, the new capital city in 1954 and held at Adivasi Exhibition Ground, Unit-1 Bhubaneswar. Subsequently in view of law and order situation, the Adivasi Mela is being held at IDCO exhibition Ground, Unit-III Bhubaneswar from 2018 onwards.

Initially, the Adivasi Mela was held for a week and subsequently from 2010 the duration of the fair has been increased to 15 days considering popularity of the event gained over the past years.