Guwahati: Padma Vibhushan awardee and legendary Pandavani exponent Teejan Bai passed away on Sunday at the age of 70 after a prolonged illness, leaving India’s cultural fraternity mourning the loss of one of its most celebrated folk artists.
Teejan Bai breathed her last at around 3.15 am at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur, where she had been undergoing treatment since late May, hospital officials said.
Widely regarded as the face of Pandavani, the traditional storytelling art form of Chhattisgarh based on episodes from the Mahabharata, Teejan Bai transformed the centuries-old folk tradition into a globally recognised performing art. Her powerful voice, dramatic stage presence and distinctive performance style earned her acclaim across India and abroad.
Born in Ganiyari village in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district in 1956, Teejan Bai broke social barriers by becoming one of the first women to perform Pandavani in the Kapalik style, a format traditionally dominated by men. She gave her first public performance at the age of 13 and went on to become a cultural ambassador for India, performing in several countries across Europe, Asia and beyond.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, she received numerous honours for her contribution to Indian folk arts, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award. She was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Fukuoka Prize.
Her passing has triggered an outpouring of tributes from artists, political leaders and admirers across the country, who remembered her as a pioneering performer who preserved and popularised India’s rich folk heritage for audiences around the world.