PM Modi opens a tribal festival in Delhi and pays tribute to Birsa Munda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the mega National Tribal Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the national capital on Thursday.

He also presented flowers to tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

Birsa Munda, a Munda tribe member, was born on November 15, 1875. During British rule in the late nineteenth century, he led an Indian tribal religious Millenarian movement across modern-day Bihar and Jharkhand’s tribal belt.

His birth anniversary in the country is known as Birsa Munda Jayanti, coinciding with Jharkhand Foundation Day.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Aadi Mahotsav, which celebrates the spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce, and traditional art, is an annual initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Limited (TRIFED). This year, it will be held from the 16th to the 27th of February at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi.

Over 200 stalls at the venue will showcase the rich and diverse heritage of tribes across the country.

Approximately 1000 tribal artisans attend the Mahotsav.

“Because 2023 is being celebrated as the International Year of Millets, in addition to the usual attractions such as handicrafts, handloom, pottery, jewellery, and so on, a special focus in the Mahotsav will be on showcasing Shree Anna grown by tribals,” according to a PMO statement.