Pandavani exponent Teejan Bai, a leading figure in Chhattisgarh’s traditional folk art, dies at 70 in Raipur after a prolonged illness. Multiple reports say she was an acclaimed performer known for narrating episodes from the Mahabharata through Pandavani, and she is widely regarded as one of the foremost practitioners of the art form. One outlet notes she is associated with the Kapalik style and that her expressive storytelling helped bring wider attention to the tradition. She was a Padma Vibhushan awardee, and her career is described as marked by major national recognition and repeated acknowledgement of her role in preserving and presenting folk art.
According to the accounts, Bai’s health declined while she was hospitalized at AIIMS Raipur. Reports also mention that she was dealing with breathing difficulties and weakness before her condition worsened. Tributes from across the arts and public are reported to follow her death, reflecting her status as a prominent cultural figure in India’s folk arts community.
