Continuing with the year-long celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and taking into advantage the tapering off of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and return to near normalcy, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Ltd (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revived the exhibition of tribal art & craft in form of “Aadi Bazaar”.
An Aadi Bazaar, a vibrant exhibition featuring organic tribal products and handcrafted wares, was inaugurated virtually by Shri Ramsinh Rathwa, Chairman TRIFED on March 21, 2022 in the august presence of Shri Pabitra Kumar Kanhar, Vice Chairman TRIFED, and Smt. R. Jaya, Managing Director, TRIFED and other senior officials of TRIFED. This 10 day exhibition which will be on at Bhopal Haat, Bhopal from March 21- March 30, 2022 will feature more than 70 stalls representing over 15 states from across the country.
These Aadi Bazaars are a part of TRIFED’s intensified efforts to improve the livelihoods of the underprivileged tribals, who have been majorly impacted in the past two years. “I am happy that TRIFED has taken this initiative to enhance the livelihoods of tribals of India. Such bazaars will help also to disseminate tribal culture from across the country to a larger audience.” Shri Ramsinh Rathwa, Chairman TRIFED, said during the virtual inauguration ceremony.
Plans are afoot to host similar Aadi Bazaars at Ekta Nagar, Statue of Unity, Gujarat, Beach Road, Puducherry and at Rourkela in Odisha in the coming days. “I am happy to see that such exhibitions will help showcase traditional art and handicrafts and cultural heritage of the country and will bring to focus the diversity and richness of the tribes of India.” Shri Pabitra Kumar Kanhar said while speaking at the inauguration. Focussing on TRIFED’s efforts at improving the lives of tribal artisans, Smt. R Jaya, Managing Director TRIFED said, “The exhibitions like Aadi Bazaars plays a vital role in socio economic development of the tribal population. These exhibitions will help connect the tribal artisans with larger, unexplored markets.”
Representing the basic ethos of tribal life, the 10-day long festival features an exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, jewellery from across 15 states of the country
At the Aadi Bazaars, visitors can sample the best that Tribes India and tribal artisans have to offer – from the famed Maheshwari sarees of Madhya Pradesh to the warm woollens from Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, from the various immunity boosting herbs and spices procured by the tribals of Tamil Nadu to the special honey and organic produce from North-east India; from the reputed Toda embroidery to the moga silk from Assam and the black pottery from Nagaland.
TRIFED, as the nodal agency working towards tribal empowerment, has been putting in place several initiatives that helps in improving the income and livelihood of the tribal people, while preserving their way of life and tradition. The Aadi Bazaar is one such initiative that helps enable the economic welfare of these communities and bring them closer towards mainstream development.