Shop till you drop at tribal fair

BHUBANESWAR: Preparations are on in full swing on Adivasi Ground where the annual Adivasi Mela will begin from January 26.
For residents of Bhubaneswar, the 15-day fair is like an extended treasure hunt. Tribal communities from hinterlands of Odisha showcase their lifestyle, culture and also bring a wide variety of natural products.
“The exhibition is like a living museum where people get a chance to get an insight into the unique lifestyle of the tribal peoples, interesting practices and indigenous habits.At the same time, tribals get a taste of city life and a platform to market their products,” said ST and SC development secretary Surendra Kumar.
People of different tribal communities construct model houses, paddy fields exhibiting their lifestyle, the process of cultivation, food, dress and cultural practices in a makeshift village setting. Nearly 146 kiosks will be put up in the fair, of which about 21 will be put up by integrated tribal development agencies of the state government, NGOs and a number of self-help groups.
Visitors to the fair will find a variety of rice, cereals, herbs, medicines, spices, bamboo shoots, musical instruments, and poultry products. There is also a huge demand for ethnic tribal products such as metal craftworks, jewellery, cane and bamboo products, textile, terracotta, and stone pottery.
“We eagerly wait to buy the indigenous items which are usually not available in the market. The produces are pure, herbal and organic. I bought turmeric and mustard seed for the entire year from the fair,” said Saswati Das, a school teacher.
Last year, the fair had attracted more than 10 lakh visitors and sold products worth Rs 5 crore while this year the target is to sell products worth Rs 6.5 crore, Kumar said. “We have made elaborate security arrangements on the fair grounds by installing 30 closed circuit TV cameras and deploy police in plainclothes,” he added.
Visitors can enjoy tribal cuisine at a food court at the fair.