A two-day folk festival titled ‘Puthandu Kondattam’ concluded at 9th Mile, a picturesque spot on the Ooty - Gudalur highway on Saturday.
The programme was organised jointly by the South Zone Cultural Centre, Doordarshan Kendra, Coimbatore, and the All India Radio, Ooty.
Clad in their colourful dress, members of various tribal communities, including Todas, Kotas, Irulas, Alu Kurumbas, Mullukurumbas, Betta Kurumbas, Paniyas and Kaattu Nayakkas, made the occasion memorable by dancing to their traditional music.
Even as their songs and dances showcased the rich culture of the hills, the joy of the occasion was enhanced by folk dancers from other places joining them.
Among the participants in the event were the Nilgiris Collector P. Sankar, the Deputy Director, Anthropological Survey of India, Mysore, C.R. Sathyanarayanan and the Head of Office, Doordarshan Kendra, Coimbatore, Aandal Priyadarshini.
Objective
Speaking to The Hindu , the Head of Office, AIR, Ooty, Madhavi Ravindranath said that the objective was to facilitate an interaction among various tribal groups and also familiarise tourists with their unique lifestyle.
