Cuttack 16th Nov. : Birsa Munda’s 150th Anniversary was held at the small Munda settlement of Berna under the Mangarajpur Block near Choudwar. Debjit Singh Deo of Kila Dalijoda, in association with Odisha Adivasi Foundation, organised the first Dalijoda Adivasi Mahotsav at the Birsa Munda ground at the village. The programme was well attended by historian Anil Dhir, Co-convenor of Intach, who was the chief guest. The village elders comprising of Gaman Kala and Ram Hensa along with some international guests from the homestay added an extra dimensions to the whole event. The program incorporated many tribal games, culminating with a pulsating tribal dance competition consisting of six groups of different ages accompanied by their traditional music which captivated the audience till the sun faded to oblivion. The Kila Dalijoda Homestay run by Debjit Singh Deo and his wife Namrata Singh Deo have undertaken a noble cause and to reconnect the long lost association and have started this initiative through its Responsible Tourism activities to bring back some of the lost tribal culture back in vogue and make the community believe in themselves, value their cultural heritage and preserve their traditional identity.Kila Dalijoda Homestay, situated near Choudwar, is surrounded by the scenic hills and the landscape of Dalijoda Reserve Forest. The forest and its surroundings is also home to many Munda tribal villages. A vibrant tribal culture and lifestyle can be seen and experienced in its natural form. Originally these Munda tribals are from Jharkhand, South Bengal and northern Odisha. Two Munda families were brought in by the erstwhile Raja of Purulia who settled them around the royal hunting lodge house in the early 1930’s. This started a mass migration and in a span of 90 years around 1000 Munda families have mushroomed around Kila Dalijoda Homestay creating its own demographic culture identity. Debjit Singh Deo has pledged to continue the Dalijoda Adivasi Mahotsav every year on this auspicious day to enlighten the future generations of these tribal community to take pride in their rich legacy and heritage and of cultural diversity for all times to come.
