Raipur, July 5 (HS): Renowned Pandavani exponent and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, in the early hours of Sunday after a prolonged illness. She was 70.
According to hospital authorities, Teejan Bai had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS Raipur since May 27 and breathed her last at around 3.15 a.m.
Widely regarded as the face of Pandavani, the traditional oral narration of the Mahabharata from Chhattisgarh, Teejan Bai played a pivotal role in taking the centuries-old folk art to national and international audiences through her powerful storytelling, expressive singing and dramatic performances.
Born on April 24, 1956, in Ganiyari village of Durg district, Teejan Bai developed an interest in the Mahabharata at a young age. Defying social barriers at a time when women rarely performed in the Kapalik style of Pandavani, she made her stage debut at the age of 13 and went on to become one of India's most celebrated folk artistes.
Over a career spanning nearly six decades, she performed extensively across India and abroad, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Russia, Australia and Germany, earning global recognition for Chhattisgarh's rich folk tradition.
In recognition of her contribution to Indian folk arts, she was conferred the Padma Shri in 1988, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995, the Padma Bhushan in 2003 and the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, in 2019.
Expressing grief over her demise, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said Teejan Bai's passing was an irreparable loss not only to the state's cultural heritage but also to the entire Indian art and cultural fraternity. He said she had carried the voice of Chhattisgarh's folk traditions to the global stage and inspired generations of artistes.
Teejan Bai is survived by a rich artistic legacy that transformed Pandavani into one of India's most recognised folk performance traditions.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
