Nabarangpur, Dec, 23: On the fifth day of the Lok Mahotsav ‘Mandei’ and Pallishree Mela, local cultural programs, folk arts, and folk dances energized the Mandei stage. The five-day festival, inaugurated under the chairmanship of District Collector Dr. Maheshwar Swain, saw participation not only from Nabarangpur district but also from outside, with numerous artists and members of the public attending.
Cultural programs featuring students from various schools and colleges across the district showcased folk songs and dances, accompanied by performances from various orchestra teams. Local artists also presented several cultural acts. The festival, including the major Mandei events on 12th, 13th, and 14th, extended till the 16th as the Pallishree Mela, now recognized as a Viksit Bharat Deshi Mela (Developed India Rural Fair).
In the ongoing Mandei and Pallishree Mela, a total of 400 stalls were set up:
- Food stalls: 10
- Government organization stalls: 90
- Official stalls: 150
- Commercial stalls: 110
During the five days, 10 food stalls generated business worth Rs 1.97 crore, private commercial stalls made Rs 5.47 crore, and women’s self-help group stalls achieved Rs 2.93 crore, bringing the total business for the five-day festival to approximately Rs 10.37 crore, according to ORMAS Deputy Chief Officer Roshan Kumar Kartik.
To manage the festival, 12 management committees were active, and traffic control was efficiently maintained each year with the help of 8 platoons of police and 50 officers assigned to various duties, as stated by the Additional Security Officer.
On the fifth day of the district-level Lok Mahotsav Mandei and Pallishree Mela, several dignitaries attended, including:
- Additional District Collectors Tapan Kumar Khuntia and Vishwajit Barman
- Zilla Parishad Chief Development Officer Biranchi Narayan Darwan
- Sub-Collector Prakash Kumar Mishra
- ITDA PI Rajiv Kumar Sahu
- District Education Officer Chhatrapati Sahu
- SDPO Krishna Chandra Uchara
- District Supply Officer, Social Security Officer, Information Officer, Tehsildar Kush Garada, District Culture Officer Ghasia Harijan, Chief Agriculture Officer, Deputy Chief ORMAs Officer Roshan Kumar Kartik, District Chief Medical Officer Santosh Kumar Panda, and several others.
A large number of police personnel ensured smooth movement of visitors and controlled the heavy crowds, allowing the public to comfortably access the stalls and enjoy the cultural programs. Over the five days, hundreds of men and women from within and outside the district participated in the Mandei festival and Pallishree Mela.