Legendary Pandavani folk singer Teejan Bai dies at 70

• Legendary Pandavani folk singer Teejan Bai passed away in Raipur on July 5. She was 70.

• Pandavani, meaning “the voice of the Pandavas”, is a folk art form based on Mahabharata stories.

• She took Chhattisgarh’s traditional storytelling art to audiences across the world.

• Teejan Bai was honoured with the Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2003) and Padma Vibhushan (2019).

• She leaves behind a legacy that turned an ancient oral tradition into an internationally celebrated art.

• Teejan Bai was born in 1956 at Ganiyari village in Durg district in a humble family.

• She developed a passion for listening to and narrating stories from the Mahabharata at an early age.

• Despite social opposition and financial hardship, she persevered and went on to become the country’s most celebrated exponent of Pandavani.

• The traditional folk art form of Chhattisgarh combines dramatic narration, singing and musical accompaniment to recount episodes from the epic.

• Known for her powerful voice, commanding stage presence and expressive style, she transformed Pandavani from a regional folk tradition into an internationally acclaimed art form.

• She appeared in Shyam Benegal’s TV series ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’, introducing Pandavani to millions.

• In recognition of her outstanding contribution to Indian folk arts, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and numerous other honours.

• President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over Teejan Bai’s death.