Nabarangpur, Nov 29: The district’s folk festival, Mandei, has begun. The auspicious inauguration of the event started from Bhairavi Temple located in Umarakot Podagada. The chief guest for the occasion was Minister for Forest Environment and Climate Change, Labor, and Employee Insurance, Mr. Ganesh Ramsingh Khuntia, who formally inaugurated Mandei. Speaking at the event, he thanked the people who participated in this traditional Mandei procession, a symbol of faith and devotion, and expressed hope that this glorious district festival would shine at the national level.
Additionally, the honorable minister announced a grant of one crore rupees for the development of this Shakti Peetha and for forest tourism promotion. Following this, the State Minister for School Education, Scheduled Tribes & Minorities, Social Security, and Differently-Abled Empowerment, Mr. Nityananda Gand, in his address, said that this traditional festival and heritage, practiced since ancient times, has been preserved solely by the tribal communities and now continues to thrive in a modern form. He emphasized that the Mandei program, which stands above politics and is a symbol of the district’s progress, has continued to showcase vibrant local art every year. He also expressed pride in the district’s Jemsā dance, which has received national recognition.
During the inauguration of Mandei-2025, participants from various parts of the district carried traditional items like sticks, chairs, banners, musical instruments, and horns from the Bhairavi Peetha, performing independent rituals and lighting the ceremonial torch. This torch was then carried by Ministers Khuntia and Gand along with Nabarangpur MLA Gourishankar Majhi, Dabugaon MLA Manohar Randhari, Jharigaon MLA Narsingh Bhatra, District Collector Dr. Maheshwar Swain, Parsuram Majhi, Muna Tripathi, BJP District President Kunjbihari Das, Umarakot Municipality Chairperson Radha Bhatra, Block Chairperson Susila Majhi, and key employees from district and block levels, who all participated in the procession.
The district-level Mandei festival will continue from December 12 to December 16. The inauguration of Mandei-2025 concluded successfully with thousands of spectators witnessing cultural performances, tribal dances, and songs. Mandei is a major festival of unity and brotherhood that fills the district residents with excitement and enthusiasm. During the inauguration, Mandei songs and posters were released by the guests, and the stage was managed by Uhoshika Chandana Mallik.
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