Parab 2025 Opens In Koraput

Bhubaneswar: The hills of southern Odisha resonated with music, movement and colour as Parab 2025, Koraput’s flagship tribal festival, opened this week, reaffirming the region’s rich indigenous heritage and deep-rooted cultural identity. Now in its 28th edition, the five-day festival has grown into a major cultural platform, bringing together tribal communities, folk artists, artisans and visitors from across Odisha and neighbouring regions.

Celebrated primarily by communities such as the Bonda, Gadaba, Paroja, Kondh and Saora, Parab marks the culmination of the agricultural cycle and expresses collective gratitude to nature. More than a seasonal celebration, it reflects a way of life shaped by forests, fields and shared traditions passed down through generations.

On the inaugural evening on Thursday, Vedanta Aluminium unveiled its dedicated stall, highlighting the company’s engagement with community development and cultural preservation. The stall was inaugurated by housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra in the presence of legislators from Koraput, Pottangi, Laxmipur and Kotpad, senior district officials and local representatives. The dignitaries underlined the significance of Parab in showcasing tribal culture while mirroring the region’s gradual movement towards inclusive and sustainable development.

At the heart of the festival are its performances. Open grounds turned into vibrant cultural arenas as the rhythmic beat of traditional drums set the tempo for group dances, with men and women participating together in colourful handwoven attire. Folk songs narrated stories of ancestry, migration and survival, keeping alive oral traditions that remain central to indigenous knowledge systems.

Parab has also evolved into a space for cultural exchange and learning. Exhibitions of tribal art, metal craft, paintings and local cuisine offer visitors insight into creative traditions rooted in harmony with nature. For younger members of the community, the festival has become an important occasion to reconnect with practices that modern life often pushes to the margins.

Beyond celebration, Parab serves as an assertion of dignity and continuity. In a time of rapid change, it reinforces the idea that development need not erase cultural roots. As Koraput’s landscape comes alive with collective celebration, Parab 2025 stands as a reminder that culture thrives when communities honour their past, celebrate together in the present and carry their heritage forward with pride.