Mahua flower festival celebrated in Adilabad

Adilabad: Collector Sikta Patnaik advised the tribals to continue to carry forward their distinctive traditions and ethnic cuisines to future generations. She was speaking at a festival of mahua flowers celebrated by the aboriginal tribals at Rimma village in Sirikonda mandal on Tuesday. She was joined by Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA)-Utnoor Project Officer Ankith. Sikta along with the dignitaries performed special prayers to a mahua tree and worshiped it to mark the occasion. She then planted saplings at the venue. She had the taste of various delicacies prepared by the tribals with the flowers of mahua as part of the festival. She visited an exhibition of the delicacies organised at the event.

Addressing a gathering, the IAS officer requested the tribals to carry forward their traditions and dishes to their future generations. She stated that the nutritional supplement made of the flowers was being provided to lactating women and new mothers. She assured that she would sanction grants to create a road facility to the village soon. The Collector further said that steps would be taken to sell the dietary supplement in Hyderabad, Nagpur and other cities of the country by providing marketing facilities. She promised to set up a tower to provide mobile phone coverage to the remote village. She added that eligible persons would be given social security pensions as requested by the locals.

Ankith said that a unit was established in Utnoor to make laddu with flowers of mahua tree. He informed that the supplement food was being supplied to pregnant women, new mothers and children helping them overcome anemia. He stated that steps were being taken to increase educational opportunities to the tribal children by setting up Ashram schools in tribal habitations. The Collector and dignitaries were earlier accorded a grand welcome by the dwellers of the habitation, who danced to drum beats and played traditional musical instruments.

Additional Collector Rizwan Basha Shaik, Aboriginal Tribal Welfare Advisory Committee (ATWAC) chairman Kanaka Lakke Rao, women commission member Kumra Eshwari Bai, Utnoor Forest Divisional Officer Jadav Rahu and many other officials were present.