Chhattisgarh
Folk Music, Dance, Theatre and Crafts
Folk Songs and Musical Instruments of Chhattisgarh
Sua, Dadaria, Karma, Bhojali, Jas, Bans, Bharthari, Chandaini and more: Chhattisgarh's folk songs by season and community, plus the Mandar, Bans and other instruments.
Prerequisites
- Festivals and Traditions of Chhattisgarh: most folk songs are tied to a festival (Hareli, Diwali, Navratri, Holi), so the festival calendar is the skeleton of this page
- Tribes of Chhattisgarh: which community sings what (Gond, Muria, Oraon, Raut, Satnami)
- Chhattisgarhi Language: the songs are in Chhattisgarhi, Halbi and Gondi, so the vocabulary helps
The Hook: A Year You Can Hear
Connect
Walk through a Chhattisgarh village over one year and you can almost tell the month by the song. In Sawan girls sing Bhojali over baskets of wheat sprouts. At Navratri the Jas geet of the Devi rise from the temple courtyard. Around Diwali women circle a clay parrot singing Sua, and Raut herdsmen recite couplets. At Holi the Nagada drives the Phag. Out in the fields, a young man and woman trade teasing lines of Dadaria.
So which song belongs to which season, which community and which story? And what instruments carry them?
Why it matters: Prelims P-I (Chhattisgarh part) loves one-line matches: “Sua is sung by ___”, “Bharthari is the story of ___”, “Chandaini is the tale of ___”. Mains GS-IV can ask how folk songs reflect the social life of the state, especially women’s lives and community identity.
How to Classify Chhattisgarh’s Folk Songs
Folk songs (लोकगीत) of Chhattisgarh are easiest to remember in four baskets.
graph TD
A["Chhattisgarh folk songs"] --> B["Seasonal and festival songs"]
A --> C["Devotional songs"]
A --> D["Narrative ballads (gatha)"]
A --> E["Life-cycle and work songs"]
B --> B1["Sua, Bhojali, Gaura, Phag, Karma"]
C --> C1["Jas, Panthi, Jawara"]
D --> D1["Pandavani, Bharthari, Chandaini, Dhola-Maru"]
E --> E1["Sohar, Bihav, Dadaria, Bans geet"]Seasonal and Festival Songs
| Song | Who sings | When / occasion | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sua geet (सुआ गीत) | Women and girls | Around Diwali (Kartik), leading up to Gaura-Gauri worship | Women dance in a circle around a basket holding a clay or wooden parrot (sua, सुआ); they keep time with claps, no instruments. The parrot is the messenger who carries a woman’s sorrow to her absent husband or parental home |
| Bhojali geet (भोजली गीत) | Girls and women | Sawan (Shravan), ending around Raksha Bandhan | Wheat or other grain is sown in small baskets and the sprouts (Bhojali) are worshipped as a goddess for good rain and harvest, then immersed. Exchanging Bhojali sprouts seals a lifelong friendship (“Bhojali” as a ritual friend) |
| Gaura geet (गौरा गीत) | Gond and other communities, mainly women | Around Diwali | Songs for the marriage of Gaura (Parvati) and Ishar (Shiva); idols are made, worshipped through the night and immersed |
| Phag geet (फाग गीत) | Men | Holi (Phagun) | Lively, sometimes bawdy songs driven by the Nagada (नगाड़ा) kettle drum |
| Karma geet (करमा गीत) | Tribal and rural communities (Gond, Baiga, Oraon, Binjhwar and others) | With Karma dance and Karma puja | Songs around the Karam tree branch; sung with the Mandar (मांदर). Covered in Folk Dances |
Devotional Songs
| Song | Key feature |
|---|---|
| Jas geet (जस गीत) | Songs in praise of the Devi (Durga, Shitala, Mahamaya), sung especially in Navratri. Sung with the sowing of Jawara (जंवारा) sprouts, so you will also see the term Jawara geet |
| Panthi geet (पंथी गीत) | Songs of the Satnami community in praise of Guru Ghasidas and the Satnam path; they accompany the fast Panthi dance |
| Bhajan and Ramnami bhajan | Devotional singing; the Ramnami Samaj (रामनामी समाज) of the Mahanadi belt sings bhajans on the name of Ram |
Narrative Ballads (गाथा)
| Ballad | Story | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pandavani (पंडवानी) | Episodes of the Mahabharata, centred on the Pandavas and especially Bhima | The state’s most famous ballad-theatre form. Full detail in Folk Theatre: Nacha and Pandavani |
| Bharthari (भरथरी) | The life and renunciation of King Bharthari (Bhartrihari) of Ujjain and the story of Gopichand, in the tradition of the Nath yogis | Its best-known modern singer was Surujbai Khande (सुरुजबाई खांडे) |
| Chandaini (चंदैनी) | The love story of Lorik and Chanda (लोरिक-चंदा) | Associated with the Raut (Yadav) community. Do not confuse with Chandaini Gonda, the cultural troupe of 1971 |
| Dhola-Maru (ढोला-मारू) | Love story of Prince Dhola and Princess Maru (Maravani) | A Rajasthani tale retold in Chhattisgarhi |
| Dhankul geet (धनकुल गीत) | Long ritual narratives sung by women in Bastar during the Jagar festivals | Sung to the Dhankul instrument (see below) |
Life-Cycle, Love and Work Songs
| Song | Key feature |
|---|---|
| Dadaria (ददरिया) | Love song in question-and-answer form, sung in fields and forests while working. Often called the “king of Chhattisgarhi folk songs” (लोकगीतों का राजा) in state GK books. Lines come in pairs; the first line is often an image from nature, the second carries the feeling |
| Bans geet (बांस गीत) | Sung by Raut (Yadav) herdsmen to the long bamboo flute Bans; slow, melancholic narrative songs |
| Sohar (सोहर) | Songs at childbirth |
| Bihav geet (बिहाव गीत) | Wedding songs, one set for each ritual stage: Chulmati, Telmati, the haldi and bhanwar rites, and the Bidai (farewell) song |
| Rela / Rilo (रेला) | Songs of the Muria and other Gond groups of Bastar, sung by young men and women, often linked to the Ghotul (youth dormitory) |
| Devar geet (देवार गीत) | Songs of the wandering Devar community of minstrels |
| Basdev geet (बसदेव गीत) | Sung at dawn by Basdev singers who go from house to house |
Folk Musical Instruments (लोक वाद्य)
| Instrument | Type | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Mandar (मांदर) | Barrel-shaped clay drum with leather heads at both ends | Karma, Saila, Panthi and most tribal dances; the “heartbeat” of Chhattisgarh folk music |
| Nagada (नगाड़ा) | Pair of large kettle drums | Phag (Holi), festivals and processions |
| Timki (टिमकी) | Small kettle drum | Played with the Mandar in Karma |
| Dhol, Dholak (ढोल, ढोलक) | Barrel drums | Nacha, Pandavani, songs of all kinds |
| Manjira, Jhanjh (मंजीरा, झांझ) | Small cymbals | Bhajan, Jas, Panthi, Pandavani |
| Kartal (करताल) | Wooden clappers with jingles | Held by the Pandavani singer |
| Tambura / Tamura (तम्बूरा) | Drone string instrument | The Pandavani singer’s instrument, also used as a prop (Bhima’s mace, Arjuna’s bow) |
| Bans (बांस) | Long bamboo flute | Raut herdsmen, for Bans geet |
| Sulur (सुलुर) | Bamboo flute or whistle of Bastar | Made by Muria craftsmen; master maker Pandi Ram Mandavi (Padma Shri 2025) |
| Mohri (मोहरी) | Shehnai-like reed instrument | Wedding and ritual bands |
| Dhankul (धनकुल) | A bow resting on an earthen pot, scraped with a stick to make a humming sound | Women’s Jagar songs in Bastar |
| Chikara and Ektara (चिकारा, एकतारा) | Bowed fiddle / single-string drone | Wandering minstrels and ballad singers |
Why so many drums?
Chhattisgarh’s music is dance music. Most songs are sung while dancing in a group, so rhythm instruments (Mandar, Nagada, Timki, Dhol) dominate and melody instruments are few. The famous exceptions are the Bans of the Raut herdsmen and the Pandavani Tambura.
Analysis: What Folk Songs Tell Us (Mains GS-IV)
- Agricultural calendar. Bhojali (sowing season, Sawan), Karma, Sua (harvest season, Kartik) and Phag (spring) follow the farming year of a rice-growing society.
- Women’s voice. Sua and Bhojali are almost entirely women’s genres. Sua songs voice the pain of separation and the hardship of a married woman’s life. They are a rare outlet in a patriarchal setting.
- Community identity. Panthi is the identity song of the Satnami community; Bans geet and Chandaini belong to the Raut; Rela belongs to the Muria. Songs mark who “we” are.
- Social bonding. Bhojali creates ritual friendships across caste lines; Dadaria shows a relatively open space for courtship in rural and tribal life.
- Oral history and ethics. Ballads like Pandavani and Bharthari carry moral lessons (dharma, renunciation) to people who learned them by ear, not from books.
- Threats and revival. Film music, migration and mobile phones are shrinking live performance. State festivals (Rajyotsava, Chakradhar Samaroh), the Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, Akashvani and folk troupes keep the songs alive, but there is a risk of “stage folk” losing its ritual context.
Memory Tricks
Season wheel: Bho-Ja-Su-Pha
“BHOJ in Sawan, JAS in Navratri, SUA at Diwali, PHAG at Holi.” The four festival songs follow the calendar from monsoon to spring.
Ballads by hero
- Pandavani = Pandavas (Mahabharata)
- Bharthari = Bhartrihari the king-turned-yogi
- Chandaini = Chanda (Lorik-Chanda)
- Dhola-Maru = Dhola the prince
Raut has three
The Raut (Yadav) herdsmen own three items on the CGPSC list: Raut Nacha (dance), Bans geet (song with the bamboo flute) and Chandaini (Lorik-Chanda ballad).
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Sua: women, Diwali, parrot, claps only | Bhojali: girls, Sawan, wheat sprouts, ritual friendship | |
| Jas geet: Devi worship, Navratri | Panthi geet: Guru Ghasidas, Satnami community | |
| Chandaini: ballad of Lorik-Chanda | Chandaini Gonda: Dau Ramchandra Deshmukh’s cultural troupe (1971) | |
| Bharthari: King Bhartrihari, Nath tradition | Pandavani: Mahabharata, Pandavas | |
| Bans: Raut bamboo flute | Sulur: Bastar bamboo flute/whistle | |
| Mandar: clay barrel drum | Nagada: kettle drum pair (Phag) |
Common Mistakes
Trap 1: Sua is not sung by men
Sua is a women’s song and dance. An option pairing Sua with Raut men, or with Holi, is wrong. Its season is Diwali/Kartik.
Trap 2: Sua uses no instruments
Sua dancers keep rhythm with hand claps. A statement like “Sua is performed to the Mandar” is the classic trap.
Trap 3: Dadaria is not devotional
Dadaria is a love song in dialogue form. Do not pair it with temple worship or with the Devi; that is Jas geet.
Practice
These are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- Women dance around a basket with a clay ________ while singing Sua geet.
- The ballad of Lorik and Chanda is called ________.
- The Pandavani singer holds a ________ that doubles as Bhima’s mace.
Answers
- Parrot (sua)
- Chandaini
- Tambura (tamura)
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements about Chhattisgarh’s folk songs:
- Bhojali geet is associated with the month of Sawan and the worship of grain sprouts.
- Sua geet is sung by women to the accompaniment of the Mandar.
- Dadaria is a love song in question-and-answer form.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(b) 1 and 3 only. Statement 2 is wrong: Sua is sung by women who keep time by clapping; no instrument is used. Bhojali is the Sawan song of grain sprouts, and Dadaria is the dialogue love song of fields and forests.
Q2. Match List-I (Folk song) with List-II (Theme):
| List-I | List-II |
|---|---|
| A. Bharthari | 1. Lorik and Chanda |
| B. Chandaini | 2. Praise of Guru Ghasidas |
| C. Panthi geet | 3. Worship of the Devi in Navratri |
| D. Jas geet | 4. King Bhartrihari and Gopichand |
(a) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3 (b) A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3 (c) A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2 (d) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
Answer and explanation
(a) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3. Bharthari narrates the renunciation of King Bhartrihari (with the Gopichand story) in the Nath tradition. Chandaini is the Lorik-Chanda ballad. Panthi geet praises Guru Ghasidas. Jas geet is sung to the Devi, especially in Navratri.
Q3. The Dhankul, an instrument made of a bow resting on an earthen pot, is used mainly in:
(a) Raut Nacha of Bilaspur (b) Jagar songs of Bastar (c) Phag songs of Holi (d) Pandavani of Durg
Answer and explanation
(b) Jagar songs of Bastar. Women of Bastar sing long ritual narratives during the Jagar festivals to the humming of the Dhankul. Phag uses the Nagada; Pandavani uses the Tambura and Kartal.
Q4. Which of the following is correctly matched?
(a) Bans geet: Satnami community (b) Sua geet: Holi (c) Bans geet: Raut herdsmen (d) Gaura geet: Navratri
Answer and explanation
(c) Bans geet: Raut herdsmen. The Raut sing Bans geet to the long bamboo flute bans. Sua belongs to Diwali, not Holi; Gaura geet is sung around Diwali for the marriage of Gaura and Ishar, not in Navratri; and the Satnami community’s song is Panthi.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. “The folk songs of Chhattisgarh follow the agricultural calendar.” Explain with examples. (100 words)
Model answer outline
Intro: Chhattisgarh is a rice-growing society, so its folk songs move with the farming year.
Body:
- Sowing / monsoon: Bhojali in Sawan, where grain sprouts are worshipped for rain and a good crop.
- Crop growth: Karma songs around the Karam tree, praying for prosperity.
- Harvest: Sua and Gaura songs around Diwali, when the granaries fill.
- Spring / post-harvest leisure: Phag at Holi.
- Work songs: Dadaria in the fields.
Conclusion: The songs are a living calendar of the state’s agrarian life.
Q2. Discuss the role of folk songs in expressing women’s experiences in Chhattisgarh. (150–200 words)
Model answer outline
Intro: Many of the state’s most important genres are sung only by women, which makes them an archive of women’s lives.
Body:
- Sua: the parrot carries messages of separation, longing and the hardships of the marital home.
- Bhojali: girls create ritual friendships that last a lifetime and cross caste lines, a form of female solidarity.
- Bihav and Sohar: wedding and birth songs record rites of passage; the Bidai song voices the pain of leaving the parental home.
- Dhankul / Jagar (Bastar): women are the ritual specialists who sing long sacred narratives.
- Changing roles: women performers such as Teejan Bai broke into forms once dominated by men (Pandavani’s Kapalik style).
Conclusion: Women’s songs combine lament, humour and solidarity. Preserving them is also a way of documenting social history from below.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sua geet | Women, Diwali, parrot in a basket, claps only |
| Bhojali | Sawan, grain sprouts, ritual friendship |
| Gaura geet | Diwali, marriage of Gaura (Parvati) and Ishar (Shiva) |
| Phag | Holi, Nagada |
| Jas / Jawara geet | Devi worship, Navratri |
| Panthi geet | Satnami community, Guru Ghasidas |
| Dadaria | Dialogue love song; “king of Chhattisgarhi folk songs” |
| Bans geet | Raut herdsmen, bamboo flute |
| Bharthari | King Bhartrihari and Gopichand; singer Surujbai Khande |
| Chandaini | Lorik-Chanda; Raut community |
| Dhankul | Bow-on-pot instrument, Bastar Jagar songs |
| Mandar | Clay barrel drum, Karma and tribal dances |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Festival songs follow the farm year: Bhojali (Sawan) → Jas (Navratri) → Sua and Gaura (Diwali) → Phag (Holi).
- Sua is the women’s Diwali song around a parrot, kept with claps, not instruments.
- Ballads to know: Pandavani (Mahabharata), Bharthari (Bhartrihari), Chandaini (Lorik-Chanda), Dhola-Maru.
- Dadaria is the dialogue love song; Panthi belongs to the Satnami community; Bans geet and Chandaini to the Raut.
- The Mandar drives the dances; the Tambura is the Pandavani singer’s instrument; the Dhankul belongs to Bastar’s Jagar.
What’s Next
- Folk Dances of Chhattisgarh: Panthi, Raut Nacha, Karma, Saila and the dances of Bastar
- Folk Theatre: Nacha and Pandavani: where song becomes performance
- Literature and Language: written Chhattisgarhi literature alongside the oral tradition
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