KANCHANPUR/AGARTALA, October 11, 2014 (TIWN): Two days long 22nd Hojagri dance festival has stated in Kanchanpur, yesterday onwards. Hojagiri dance is one of the famous dances of Tripura. The dance is performed on the occasion of Hojagiri Festivals or Laxmi puja, held in the following full moon night of Durga Puja. generally after 3rd day of Dashera. The Goddess Mailuma, (Laxmi) is worshipped with full reverence and devotion on this day.

The dance is performed by only women, of about 4 to 6 member in a team. The Reang clan of Tripuri people performs this dance and they are very expert. The male members participate in singing the lyric, playing the Kham, Sumui(Kshumu). The women also form the team of chorus, in the singing group. The lyric are very simple but dance is unparallel with the lyric of Hojagiri dance.

The ancillary logistics required for the dance are, a BAILING, which is a wide circular rice cleaning article made of cane, a pitcher, or kalash, a bottle, a house hold traditional lamp, a plain dish, a handkerchief for each performer.

Minister of Tribal Welfare Aghore Debbarma inaugurated the festival at the Ananda Bazar motor stand area. Held at the initiative of Bru Socio and Cultural Organisation the Hojagiri festival also displayed many stalls of development programmes apart from carrying on the social responsibility by creating awareness on the subject of disaster management. In his speech the tribal welfare minister has urged to take forward the customary traditions and culture of the tribal people, so that he modern life style does not engross the same.