Bastar Pandum festival showcases Bastar's rich tribal heritage in Chattisgarh

The Bastar Pandum Festival organised by the Chhattisgarh Government has drawn a large crowd to witness Bastars traditional handicrafts tribal arts folk costumes and local productsThe festival which was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu showcased Bastars rich tribal heritage with its extraordinary handicraft products foods and traditional tribal dances and folk song performancesSpeaking with ANI Somaru Ram Kawasi a member of the judging panel who checked various food items presented at the festival said Theres a dish here a kind of fermented drink that we call kal here and in Dhurua they call it mel All the traditional dishes that are made in the village and are authentic are being given a number hereHe underlined the festivals significance in promoting Bastars old traditionIt feels great because its our old tradition The dish made with just salt chilli and tamarind without any oil tastes delicious Its made with rice and flour he saidParticipant Nisha Nag shared the delicacy of Bastars beverages and food We have more than 40 types of beverages here We have brought 10 types of traditional porridges I am very grateful to Bastar Pandum These items were consumed previously We are now able to eat them and showcase them here They are still alive and well but some have become extinct Through Bastar Pandum with the help of the district administration and the state government we have the opportunity to showcase them againFolk artist Shanu Markandey thanked the Tribal Development Department for promoting Bastars cultureI want to thank the Assistant Commissioner of the Tribal Development Department for inviting us to such a grand platform The 5minute performance we gave was a blend of our Bastar culture It included prayers to our revered Mother Goddess Danteshwari devotional and folk songs and concluded with the Chherchera festival a prominent festival in Bastar he saidThe government should first and foremost ensure that such events continue to be organised and should create a department dedicated to preserving and promoting this kind of culture especially those aspects that are becoming extinct It is also important that the numerous researchers in Jagdalpur and Bastar districts many of whom are of international calibre be involved in such initiatives and that campaigns be organised from time to time to inspire and encourage them to further develop and showcase this culture he addedFolk artist Sangeeta Markam who performed before the President shared her experience She also emphasised the need to protect and promote our traditionsWe are feeling very good and proud Performing in front of the President was a great achievement for us and the first major accomplishment of our lives We feel that if we let the traditions passed down by our ancestors disappear how will future generations know what things were like before To preserve this we are making every effort to continue practising and showcasing our old customs and traditional attirePresident Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the festival on Saturday The festival will continue till February 9This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever