Report by Manoranjan Routray, Koraput: The 17th annual district level tribal festival PARAB 2012 was inaugurated at Nandapur today, 44 kilometers from Koraput district headquarter. In the morning a large number of people from different sections of the society worshiped at "Nishani Munda" a scared tribal grove of deities at Koraput town then proceeded to Nandapur.

PARAB 2012 was launched by lightening the master lamp at Sri Ganesh Temple in Nandapur in Koraput district by the collector & district magistrate Sachin R Jadhav in presence of district level officers and members of the civil society who had reached from across the district.

Minister for school and mass education Mr. Rabi Narayan Nanda, Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi, Koraput legislature Raghuram Podal, Pottangi legislature Rama Chandra Kadam, Koraput Zillaparishad Chairman Malati Majhi, Collector & District Magistrate Sachin R Jadhav, joined hands together to celebrate launching of Parab-2012 by lighting the master torch "PARAB JYOTI" at Parab ground at Nandapur in presence of Hundreds of artists & others from different parts of the district.

The highlight of the inaugural function was marked by all dignitaries participating in dancing the traditional folk dance 'DHEMSA' with the tribal participants. On the occasion, the guests released the Parab Poster.

Tribal representatives from all 14 blocks lighted their 'mashals' from the 'Parab Jyoti' and took it to their own blocks to start off the block level Parab festivals. Through the next one month block/ULB level Parab festival will be organized in all 14 blocks/ULBs in which sports, art and culture, cultural shows, cycle rallies and Boat Race etc will be conducted. The month long tribal festival will end with a state level fair at Koraput from 16th to 18th November. In this fair, dance and other cultural shows will be performed by groups from across the country.

On the occasion a big gathering of 2000 tribals from across the district gathered to witness the inaugural function.