 Festivals of Koraput District offer a kaleidoscopic view of the colourful tribal culture and religious beliefs of the people. Every aspect of tribal life is charming and colourful. The various festivals of this district of Orissa are celebrated with dedication. Tribal dances and music enhances the charm of the festive season of the region. People of Koraput District celebrate various festivals in almost all season.
Some of the popular festivals of Koraput District are as follows - Chaitra Paraba: Chaitra Paraba celebrated for the whole month of Chaitra. Men and boys go out into the forest for hunting. If they come back without anything, they cannot show their face to the women. Women dance and sing the whole day. Bali Jatra: This festival begins five days before the Bhadrapada full-moon and ends five days after it. The beginning of the festival is identified with the Nuakhia feast on which new rice is first eaten. Bali Jatra is an occasion of great rejoicing and men of all classes put on fancy dress and they dance and sing. The festival takes its name from the ceremonial planting of various grains in wet sand brought from a nearby stream and placed in a structure called 'Bali Ghar' or sand house. Sume-Gelirak: The "Sume-Gelirak' festival celebrated among the Bonda Poraja tribes. It is unique in character. All the year round young men look forward to this festival. Sume-Gerlirak lasts for ten days. Among the Kondhs, Koya Tribe and Gadaba Tribe communal dances are observed on the occasion of marriage and religious festivals. Further, the greatest festival of Koraput District is Dussehra. This festival is held in honour of Kanaka Durga (Golden Durga). This festival lasts for sixteen days and a series of ceremonies are held throughout the period. The legend of human sacrifice is associated with this festival. Shivaratri, Holi and Ratha Yatra are among the other chief festivals celebrated by the people of this district. On Shivaratri, people gather in large number at the Gupteswar caves in the Jeypore Tehsil. During Holi or the Swing festival imitation flowers of paper or Pith are tied in bunches to bamboo poles 20 feet or more in length, called dhandas. On the night before full-moon these dhandas are carried in procession with music and dance to a bonfire which is lighted in the north of the town and are thrown into flames. On the following day everybody celebrate this festival with coloured water and coloured powder. On the occasion of Ratha Yatra, idols of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are taken out in procession in several places of the district. These are some of the festivals of Koraput District that contribute to the rich culture of the region. (Last Updated on : 31-10-2014) |
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