Koraput: The 11th State-level tribal festival, Parab, will come to an end with the three-day closing ceremony at police parade ground starting here on Thursday. On the first day of closing ceremony Rural Development , Industry and Law Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan and Energy and Culture Minister Suryanarayan Patro ,Tourism Minister Debiprasad Mishra, Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora and Members of Parliament and MLAs from undivided Koraput district will attend. Governor Rameshwar Thakur will be the chief guest on the last day on Saturday, District Collector Subha Sarma said here today.

This year too tribal dances like Mewasi of Gujurat , Thangta of Manipuri , Bhangda of Punjab, Purulia Chau of West Bengal along with nationally reconised dances like Bharatnatyam will be staged by artistes and troupes from all over the country. Grammy Award winner Pandit Biswamohan Bhatt , eminent Kathak danceuse Padmashree Sobhana Narayan and physically challenged Odissi dancer Saktiswarupa Bir will be star attractions on the occasion, district cultural officer Krushna Chandra Nisonko said. In addition to the cultural events, a mega Pallishree Mela will attract a large number of people from different parts of the district and tourists, officer from ORMAS Pinto informed.

Child reporters

About 100 `child reporters' noting down the pulse of people and children through conducting quizzes, debates and drawing competitions. They will also bring out a newsletter every morning based on their observations and interaction.

The festival was first held in 1996 by the district administration with a line of experience from the Dangar festival. People still remember the vibrant colours of more than 10,000 tribal men and women gathered at Koraput to participate in various cultural, athletic and sports events and competitions. Since then the number of participants in the competitions has been going up and it was later decided to hold them at different places in the district.

Every year new innovations got included in it and the festival got enriched with rich experience of tribal culture and tradition.As per a calculation, more than a lakh people attended the fete.

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