The inaugural session focused on the diverse culture of these indigenous people. Raja Devashish Roy, chief of the Chakma Circle, inaugurated the festival by lighting up lamps. A discussion session, chaired by Professor Sakhawat Ali Khan, chairman of SEHD, followed next. Deputy Minister of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mani Swapan Dewan was the chief guest and Promode Mankin MP and Director General of Shilpakala Academy Ahmad Nazir were the special guests on the occasion.

The speakers emphasised on the necessity of restoring and preserving the heritage and culture of the indigenous people through "unity in diversity", proper education and fulfilment of their basic needs. The speeches also revolved around the need for a separate ministry for the indigenous people.

The high point of the day was the mind boggling cultural evening by artistes from different indigenous cultures--Oraon, Santal, Rakhain and Tripura.

Dance pieces with songs Hamni Hiki Bangladeshi, Taley Taley Madel Bajela or the wedding dance with the song Lal Fita Hariari by the Oraons from North Bengal featured a distinct rhythm created by various kinds of dhol. Especially eye-catching was the display of Karam feast, depicting girls gathering flowers into their karam baskets and boys, dressed in long dhotis, shirts and girdled on the waists and ankles with belts.

The Santals, who believe that Rama is their king and they are his lost subjects, paid tribute to their beloved king through Dasai Dance which they usually perform during Durga Puja. A wedding dance depicted a traditional Santal marriage ceremony with the bride sitting on a bamboo basket and the groom carried on the shoulders of his friends exchanging garlands.

The traditional Jhum Dance of the Tripura girls, or the Katharak Dance balancing bottles on the heads with lit up candles placed over the bottles also took the audience to a world of illusion.

The Rakhains, which means in Pali the protectors, from the coastal area might have lost most of their traditional musical heritage but the Rakhain girls' magnificent Buddha Worship Dance and the Jal Keli Dance--playing with water--were greatly appreciated by the audience.

The boundary of cultural life goes far beyond the stage performance of dances, songs and dramas. Culture is what we are and civilisation is what we have. A photographic exhibition of Philip Gain and a display of artefacts thus depict the lifestyle and portraits of the various indigenous people of the country.

The festival ends today with performances by Tanchangya, Manipuri, Chak and Khyang cultural teams at the Shilpakala Academy.