First National Tribal Festival Vanaj concludes in New Delhi

The first National Tribal Festival ‘Vanaj’ concluded on 18 February 2015 in New Delhi.
It was organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on 13 February 2015 at the Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi.
Key facts 

• The aim of weeklong National Tribal Festival was to bridge the gaps of social divide and promote tribal culture in India.
• The purpose of the festival was to uplift the quality of tribal lives of the country in order to conserve and promote their distinctive cultures by providing them national platform.
• More than 900 folk and tribal artists from states like Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal participated in it.
• Maiden edition of the festival showcased the rich diversity of Tribal culture, art, painting, music, dance, tribal medicine, tribal food, and a special attraction- tribal cuisine.
• The events of this festival were held at three venues in Delhi which included Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Central Park in Connaught Place.
• Tribal market was also recreated at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, which provided tribals from different states platform to sell the rural crafts, herbs and medicines etc.