Tribal fest Mondei kicks off at Nabarangpur

November 03, 2010 The Pioneer, BHUBANESWAR BASANT RATH | NABARANGPUR The three-day-long tribal fest Mondei kicked off with pomp and gaiety on Monday here with a ceremonial procession from the presiding deity Maa Bhandar Gharani Temple to the Mondei Rangamancha accompanied by the presiding deities of different villages represented through the respective lathi chairs and tribal priests in their traditional attires. Energy Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, IT, Science and Technology Minister Ramesh Majhi, local MLA Monahar Randhari, Collector Sibabrata Dash, SP Prafulla Barik, Odia cine idol Munna Khan, Umerkote NAC Chairman Jhadeswar Mohanty and Nabarangpur Municipality Chairman Prahalad Tripathy performed the puja at the temple before the carnival set out on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg. Besides the traditional folk dance troupes, hundreds of townsfolk took part in it. The carnival reached the field in the evening. At the inaugural function Energy Minister Nayak said that the State Government is establishing agro-based industries here to economically uplift the farmers of the tribal district. IT Minister Majhi said besides providing a platform for every hidden talent to bloom, Mondei also offers an opportunity for the poor in rural areas to freely mingle with the town-bred. Local MLA Manahar Randhari said the mega cultural event is definitely a bold step. Municipality Chairman Tripathy requested the Energy Minister to direct the Indravati Hydro Electrical project administration to look after the pothole-ridden road though it yields the highest revenue from the district, but no peripheral development. Umerkote NAC Chairman Mohanty dubbed Mondei as a milestone in the path of national cultural integration. Munna Khan said Nabarangpur is the jewel of culture having produced so many talented persons in the Odia film industry and Sriram Panda is one of the best. He further requested the local MLAs and Minister Majhi to invite Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the next year’s Mondei. Collector Sibabrata Dash said the district which completes 18 years of its formation could proudly claim that it produced patriots, freedom fighters, eminent men of letters and harbingers of its rich culture. Mondei has succeeded in integrating the people as thousands of tribal men and women participate in the festival from the Panchayat to the district levels. Besides local tribal folk dances, troupes from other districts, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, Andhara Pradesh performed. Odissi dance performed by Nityananda Das, the Kashmiris and West Bengal folk dance troupe mesmerised the audience. ORMAS-organised five-day-long Pallishree Mela coincided with the festival and was also inaugurated by the Energy Minister. On the other hand, protesting the recent arrest of Congress MLA Bhujabala Majhi, the party decided to boycott the festival this year. Local MP and State Youth Congress President Pradeep Majhi, ZP President Bhagirathi Nayak and other leaders did not participate in the carnival. However, a few dissident Congressmen were seen accompanying the carnival.