Adirang Mahotsav

Adirang Mahotsav is a theatre festival organised by India's National School of Drama.[1][2] It is a tribal festival organised to showcase rural life of India.[3][4] It is a festival dedicated to tribal art and culture in India.[5]

History

The very first festival was held in Mumbai in 2014.[6] Since it started, it has traveled to many different cities across India, including Hyderabad, Surat, Raipur, Port Blair, Nasik and Dwarkonda.[6] In 2017, a big edition was held in Keonjhar, Odisha, where artists from 16 states came together.[7] Another event at Hyderabad in the same year featured 28 different tribal dance forms.[8] The festival had to stop for a few years after the 2019 event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Before COVID-19 pandemic, the last edition took place in Shantiniketan, West Bengal.[6]

The 2025 Event Highlights

In 2025, the festival was held in New Delhi for the first time.[6] This was the 7th edition of the event.[6] It took place from March 21 to March 23 on the National School of Drama campus.[9][10] About 300 tribal artists from many parts of India traveled to Delhi to perform and show their work.[11][10] The festival featured special plays that tell stories about tribal history and heroes. One of the main plays was a "Bir Birsa". That was a tribute to Birsa Munda, a famous hero who fought for the rights of tribal people.[9] "Bana Guda" is a play from Odisha that tells stories about bravery.[6][10][11] People also watched many traditional dances, such as the "Rabha dance" from Assam, the "Siddi Dhamal" from Gujarat and the "Paika dance" from Jharkhand.[6][9] There is a daily Craft market, where people can see and buy things made by tribal artists.[10] Visitors can find handloom textiles, bamboo, clay work, Madhubani paintings, brass, wire art and leather craft.[9][10]

Academic Importance

The Adirang Mahotsav-2025 includes national seminars and masterclasses led by experts to explore tribal traditions in depth.[11] A 2025 seminar titled "Centring the Margin: Mainstreaming Indigenous Performance Traditions of India" emphasized the importance of research and documentation of tribal heritage.[9][10]

Cultural Significance

The festival is described the deep-rooted connection between tribal populations and the natural world.[7][11] It highlights how tribal lifestyles often maintain an ecological balance and portrays the "unity in diversity" inherent in Indian culture.[7]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Celebrating tribal art and culture with 'Adi Rang Mahotsav'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  2. ↑ "Rural India comes together at Adi Rang Mahotsav - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  3. ↑ "NSD to hold tribal fest in Surat". The Indian Express. 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  4. ↑ "The Adi Rang Mahotsav, a Platform for more than 500 Tribal Artists to showcase their Talents". thedailyeye.info. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  5. ↑ "'Adi Rang Mahotsav': The National Tribal Festival of Theatre, Music, Dance and Crafts... : www.MumbaiTheatreGuide.com". www.mumbaitheatreguide.com. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ajith, Adithi Reena (2025-03-20). "Adi Rang Mahotsav 2025: National School of Drama brings adivasi arts to Delhi for the first time". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  7. 1 2 3 "The Adi Rang Mahotsav, a Platform for more than 500 Tribal Artists to showcase their Talents". thedailyeye.info. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  8. ↑ "A vibrant celebration of ethnic tribal dance forms of India". The Times of India. 2017-03-11. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Three-day Adirang Mahotsav celebrates India's rich tribal heritage". The Tribune. 2025-03-24. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Nearly 300 Tribal Artists Participate in Adi Rang Mahotsav 2025 in New Delhi | Ministry of Culture". culture.gov.in. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "NSD's 'Adirang Mahotsav' to kick off on Friday". Hindustan Times. 2025-03-20. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
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