Pandavani legend Teejan Bai dies at 72 after prolonged illness

Padma Vibhushan awardee and renowned Pandavani exponent Teejan Bai died in Raipur on July 5, after a prolonged illness. She was 72.

According to reports, the veteran folk artist had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS Raipur for several weeks. Her health deteriorated in the early hours of Sunday, and she passed away at around 3.15 am.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai confirmed her death and paid tribute to her contribution to Indian folk traditions. He said Teejan Bai had earned some of the country's highest civilian honours and had taken the cultural heritage of Chhattisgarh to audiences across India and abroad.

Born on April 24, 1956, in Ganiyari village of Durg district, Teejan Bai emerged as one of India's most celebrated folk performers. She made her public debut at the age of 13 and devoted more than five decades to preserving and promoting Pandavani, the traditional musical storytelling form based on episodes from the Mahabharata.

She is widely credited with breaking long-standing gender barriers in the art form. At a time when women traditionally performed Pandavani in the seated Vedamati style, Teejan Bai became the first woman to perform in the standing Kapalika style, a format that had largely been associated with male performers.

Her performances introduced Pandavani to audiences across Asia, Europe and other parts of the world, helping bring wider recognition to Chhattisgarh's folk heritage. Despite facing social opposition during the early years of her career, she remained committed to the tradition and inspired generations of artists.

Teejan Bai received several prestigious honours for her contribution to Indian folk culture, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.