Damodar Raut , former Minister and a very learned Politician & visionary has breathed his last today . I recalled his speech at Koraput in 2016 as the Chief Guest of the 20th Parab festival celebration . His critical view on the festival was praise worthy .
I salute his views and statesmanship . While praying for his soul for Divine journey , I would like to share his speech in Parab -2016 which I had reported as a journalist . Please read and offer your Prayers for the departed soul . Here is the speech : Changing dates of festivals of importance like Parab , the state level tribal festival in Koraput causes more trouble and create obstacle on the road of promoting tourism & culture in global platform than any good , said Damodar Raut , Cooperative & Excise minister in Government of Odisha while attending as the Chief Guest of inauguration ceremony of the three day long closing ceremony at Stadium of Koraput on Saturday .A lot of efforts have been put behind the festival which had reached its 20th year of Celebration to place it in the tourist’s agenda & list of important festivals of the state . At a time when people are looking at it with great importance as a hub of rich cultural exchange , changing of dates from November was something which was not appreciable , he added .
The purpose of Parab in 1996 and other district festivals in the state later was to offer space & platform for the talent at grassroots to flourish which would otherwise might have died unnoticed for a lifetime , he said .While people look at the culture and heritage of coastal Odisha at a great height, he highlighted the link of those to their origin that was waiting for recognition at regional level like in Koraput .To support his statement he narrated some traditional practices of tribal communities which were followed & practiced in the temples and communities elsewhere .
However as people in far off places at great distance from the state capital & adjoining areas of projected importance about their richness back at home , majority of them tend to live like a poor ,which was not ,he added .Koraput was the birthplace of rice and hence the site of a great civilisation with a settled way of life which could very well be recognized & realised through organising of such festivals .Parab , over the years has been appreciated well by the native of Koraput for having given freshness to their culture with a new breath apart from offering opportunity for the local traders & craftsman to market their produce amidst the host of big entrepreneurs in the same platform as a part of Pallishri Mela , which could have not been possible otherwise , Mr.Raut said .