Chhattisgarh Artists

Chhattisgarh's artists draw on the epics, the forests of Bastar and the songs of its villages, and two of them, Teejan Bai and Habib Tanvir, carried that tradition to stages around the world.

Pandavani and theatre

Pandavani is the telling of the Mahabharata in song, with the storyteller playing every part. Teejan Bai, its most famous singer, received the Padma Vibhushan in 2019. The playwright Habib Tanvir, born in Raipur, worked with Chhattisgarhi folk actors in his Naya Theatre; his play Charandas Chor became a classic of Indian theatre.

Dance

The Panthi dance of the Satnami community, the Raut Nacha performed by cowherds after Diwali, and the Karma and Saila dances of the tribal villages are part of every festival.

Crafts

Bastar is known for dhokra (lost-wax bell metal) figures, wrought-iron sculptures, terracotta and wood carving. Kosa silk is woven in Champa and Raigarh.

Sources

• Chhattisgarh Tourism Board: Government of Chhattisgarh
• South Central Zone Cultural Centre: Nagpur (Ministry of Culture)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi: India's national academy of music, dance and drama (Ministry of Culture)
• Padma Awards: the official list of Padma award winners (Government of India)