Kotra Mahotsav is being organized from 27 September on the initiative of Udaipur District Collector Tarachand Meena. The motive behind the festival is to take tourists visiting Udaipur to rural areas of the district and promote rural tourism.

The festival will be held from 27 to 29 September, coinciding with World Tourism day. The District Collector has said that preparations are going on day and night to promote rural tourism to the stage of the world through the Kotra festival. Along with this, artists from different districts of Rajasthan state will also perform with the aim to attract the tourists. Different types of stalls dealing in variety of products will also be the center of attraction.

Along with Rajasthan, performances of artists of seven states will be the center of attraction…

In a conversation with the District Collector, it was informed that Natuwa dance group from West Bengal, Singari dance group from Orissa, Jabro and Yak dance group from Ladakh, Rathwa dance group from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Sungi Mukhawte dance group and the group of Gutumb Baja and Sila Karma dance from Madhya Pradesh will give the performances. The rehearsals will begin from September 25 and will go on till 26 September. Also the rehearsals will be seen by the administration department on 25 September at the Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal. The rehearsals will be done in Kotra on 26 September.

These groups will be joining from Rajasthan…

• Sahariya swung troupe from Baran in Rajasthan

• Kushalgarh dance group from Banswara

• Ghumra dance troupe from Napla Banswara

• Gawri dance troupe from Rishabhdev

• Valar or Rayan dance troupe from Uplagarh, Aburoad

• Ambasa and Jhadol Mavaliya dance team from Udaipur

• Gavari dance team under the leadership of Amit Gameti from Udaipur.

Apart from this, teams from Indian Folk Kala Mandal will perform.

Local artists of Kotra will capture people’s hearts…

The locals of Kotra will also be given a chance to perform in the festival. A team of traditional tribal music performers will participate. The team of Banshi, Ladura Urbhaya, Bhanwarlal Pargi Lanku, Laxman, Dehri will perform for Swang song. The team of Dallaram, Vaada, Mamer, Kaluram Khair, Saundraf will perform for the song Harela. Shravan Kumar, Bhadia Dehri's team will perform in the dhol and flute troupe. The team of Bhura Ram Kocha will perform in the Valar dance. The team of Bakshiram Pargi Gura, Kaluram Nichithala will perform in the country bhajan program. Similarly, the team of Bhurji and Jogiwad will perform in the song on Dhak and the team of Babulal Gamar and Upali Subari will perform for the country song.

22 stalls will be placed for various products…

Tourists visiting the Kotra Festival will get to see and buy tribal products and accessories. Stalls include - Musical instruments, wooden items, bamboo, traditional food items, minor food produce, ornaments and costumes, etc. Along with this, stalls of handicrafts, flags of deities, horses, traditional seeds and grains, products of Rajivika, forest products, Sitaphal, etc. will be set up. Apart from this, departments like Community Forest Rights, Panchayati Raj Department, Health Department, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Department, Agriculture and Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Votershed etc. will also give information about the schemes by setting up their own stalls.

District Collector - "We hope the festival gets all the success…"

The District Collector, Tarachand Meena is constantly supervising the preparations and also has directed all the officials to take care of everything regarding the convenience of tourists. He also commanded the officials to take proper care of the accommodation, food and transportation of the folk artists. 

The Tourism department has been instructed to bring tourists to this festival from other states to let them know about the tribal culture. Once the Kotra festival comes to an end, the tourism industry will get an unprecedented boost in the tribal area of ​​the district and new employment opportunities will also be created for the local people.