Eight Northeastern states will showcase its culture, tradition and foods in a seven-day Madhavpur Mela scheduled to be held in Gujarat from April 2.
The week-long festival will see a vibrant cultural trail of art, dance, music, poetry, story-telling and folk drama from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other northeastern States with the aim to integrate the rich cultures of Northeast and Gujarat.
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This was decided in a meeting chaired by DoNER minister Jitendra Singh in New Delhi.
The annual fair is held at Madhavpur Ghed in Porbandar district a day after the Ram Navami festival.
Singh chaired a high level meeting with senior officials of the Gujarat government to review preparations for the mega festival.
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He said said that besides Madhavpur, northeastern region will be showcased in other major cities of Gujarat including Ahmedabad to generate wider interest among the local population.
The minister suggested in the meeting that a logo bringing out the common links between Gujarat and the Northeast be designed.
“A multimedia publicity campaign will be launched on March 1 to popularize the Madhavpur Mela. This will mark the cultural integration of Gujarat with the Northeast under the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Singh said.
The Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat has its connection with the Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Mishmi Tribe traces its ancestry to the legendary King Bhishmak and through him to his daughter Rukmini and Lord Krishna.
The festival celebrates the immortal journey which Rukmini undertook from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat with Lord Krishna.
Bhismaknagar, located near Roing in the lower Dibang Valley district, also finds mention in Kalika Purana.
Officials said that Madhavpur Mela this year will witness magnificent folk cultural performances from the Northeast, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
Troupes from Assam will perform Rukmini-Haran, a popular folk theatre of the region.
Musical troupe from Manipur will sing songs related to Rukmini in the Khullong Ishei and Nat gen?e.
Dance-dramas based on Rukmini-Krishna legends from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur and folk dance of the Idu Mishmi tribe from Arunachal will be part of the varied repertoire.
An exposition and sale of art and crafts of Gujarat and handloom and handicrafts products from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other northeastern states will be part of the event.
A visual art exhibition on Krishna and Rukmini put together by different institutions of Ministry of culture like the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya highlighting the variegated legends of Krishna and Rukmini will be the main attraction.