Chhattisgarh
Folk Music, Dance, Theatre and Crafts
Folk Music, Dance, Theatre and Crafts — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for Folk Music, Dance, Theatre and Crafts — every date, name and fact in tables for last-minute Prelims and Mains revision.
This one-page sheet covers Chhattisgarh’s folk songs, dances, theatre, crafts and artists. For explanations, read Folk Songs, Folk Dances, Folk Theatre: Nacha and Pandavani, Crafts and Notable Artists.
How to use this sheet
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
Timeline / Key Facts
Folk Songs
| Song | Who / when | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Sua | Women, Diwali | Parrot in a basket; claps, no instruments; leads to Gaura-Gauri puja |
| Bhojali | Girls, Sawan | Grain sprouts worshipped; ritual friendship |
| Gaura | Around Diwali | Marriage of Gaura (Parvati) and Ishar (Shiva) |
| Jas / Jawara | Navratri | Devi worship |
| Phag | Holi | Nagada |
| Dadaria | Fields, forests | Dialogue love song; “king of Chhattisgarhi folk songs” |
| Panthi geet | Satnami | Praise of Guru Ghasidas |
| Bans geet | Raut herdsmen | Long bamboo flute |
| Bharthari | Ballad | King Bhartrihari and Gopichand; Surujbai Khande |
| Chandaini | Ballad, Raut | Lorik and Chanda |
| Dhola-Maru | Ballad | Prince Dhola and Maru |
| Dhankul geet | Bastar women, Jagar | Bow-on-pot instrument |
| Sohar / Bihav | Birth / wedding | Chulmati, Telmati, Bidai |
Instruments
| Instrument | Use |
|---|---|
| Mandar | Clay barrel drum: Karma, Panthi, tribal dances |
| Nagada | Kettle drums: Phag |
| Tambura | Pandavani singer’s instrument and prop |
| Kartal | Pandavani clappers |
| Bans | Raut bamboo flute |
| Sulur | Bastar bamboo flute (Pandi Ram Mandavi) |
| Dhankul | Bastar Jagar songs |
Folk Dances
| Dance | Community | Occasion / feature |
|---|---|---|
| Panthi | Satnami | Guru Ghasidas Jayanti (18 Dec); Jaitkhamb; human pyramids |
| Raut Nacha | Raut (Yadav) | After Diwali (Dev Uthani Ekadashi); sticks, shields, dohe; Bilaspur Mahotsav |
| Sua | Women | Diwali; parrot |
| Karma | Gond, Baiga, Oraon and others | Karam tree; Mandar, Timki |
| Saila | Young men | Stick dance after harvest (Agahan) |
| Gendi | Muria | Bamboo stilts; Hareli |
| Gaur dance | Bison-horn Maria | Bison-horn head-dress; south Bastar |
| Hulki, Kaksad | Muria / Abujh Maria | Ghotul and post-harvest |
| Parab | Dhurwa | Bastar |
| Sarhul | Oraon | Sal blossom; Jashpur, Surguja |
| Raigarh Gharana | Kathak (classical) | Raja Chakradhar Singh; Chakradhar Samaroh |
Folk Theatre
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pandavani | Solo Mahabharata narration; tambura; Ragi accompanist |
| Vedmati | Text of Sabal Singh Chauhan; Jhaduram Devangan; Punaram Nishad |
| Kapalik | Improvised from memory; Teejan Bai (first woman); Usha Barle |
| Nacha | All-night plains theatre; Gammat (comic plays), Joker, Pari; men only |
| Father of Nacha | Dau Dulal Singh Mandraji; Ravéli Nacha Party (usually dated 1928) |
| Chandaini Gonda | Dau Ramchandra Deshmukh, 1971 |
| Sonha Bihan | Mahasingh Chandrakar |
| Habib Tanvir | Born Raipur 1923, died 2009; Naya Theatre 1959; Charandas Chor 1975; Edinburgh Fringe First 1982; Padma Bhushan 2002 |
| Rahas | Krishna-leela |
| Bhatra Nat | Bhatra tribe, Bastar |
| Maopata | Muria hunt drama |
Crafts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dhokra | Lost-wax (cire perdue) casting; mould broken; Kondagaon, Bastar |
| Bell metal | Copper + tin; brass = copper + zinc |
| Communities | Ghadwa (Bastar Dhokra); Jhara (Ektal, Raigarh); Lohar (iron); Kumhar (terracotta) |
| GI handicrafts | Bastar Dhokra (22 Apr 2008), Bastar Wooden Craft (22 Apr 2008), Bastar Iron Craft (2008–09), Champa Silk Saree and Fabrics |
| GI rice | Jeeraphool (2019), Nagri Dubraj |
| Terracotta | Nagarnar, Bastar; votive horses and elephants |
| Godna | Tattoo art; Surguja; Ramnami Samaj |
| Clay relief | Rajwar, Surguja; Sonabai Rajwar |
| Tumba | Gourd craft, Bastar |
Artists and Awards
| Artist | Field | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Teejan Bai | Pandavani (Kapalik); died 5 July 2026 | Padma Shri 1988, Bhushan 2003, Vibhushan 2019 |
| Punaram Nishad | Pandavani | Padma Shri 2005 |
| Usha Barle | Pandavani | Padma Shri 2023 |
| Govind Ram Nirmalkar | Nacha | Padma Shri 2009 |
| Mamta Chandrakar | Folk singer | Padma Shri 2016 |
| Radheshyam Barle | Panthi | Padma Shri 2021 |
| Ajay Kumar Mandavi | Wood carving, Kanker | Padma Shri 2023 |
| Pandi Ram Mandavi | Wood, Sulur flute, Narayanpur | Padma Shri 2025 |
| Devdas Banjare | Panthi | |
| Jaidev Baghel | Dhokra, Kondagaon | |
| Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya | Khairagarh, founded 1956 |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Nacha (theatre) | Raut Nacha (Yadav dance) | |
| Vedmati (text, Jhaduram Devangan) | Kapalik (improvised, Teejan Bai) | |
| Chandaini (Lorik-Chanda ballad) | Chandaini Gonda (Deshmukh troupe, 1971) | |
| Dau Mandraji (Nacha) | Dau Ramchandra Deshmukh (Chandaini Gonda) | |
| Sua (women, Diwali, parrot) | Saila (men, sticks, after harvest) | |
| Muria (Ghotul, Gendi) | Bison-horn Maria (Gaur dance) | |
| Dhokra (technique) | Bell metal (alloy) | |
| Dhokra (cast) | Wrought iron (forged) | |
| Radheshyam Barle (Panthi, 2021) | Usha Barle (Pandavani, 2023) | |
| Ajay Kumar Mandavi (Kanker, 2023) | Pandi Ram Mandavi (Narayanpur, 2025) | |
| Chakradhar Samaroh (Raigarh) | Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya (Khairagarh) |
Favourite MCQ trap
Three swaps to watch: Teejan Bai offered as a Vedmati artist (she is Kapalik), Sua shown with the Mandar (it uses only claps), and Dau Mandraji called the father of Raut Nacha (he is the father of Nacha, the theatre). Also, Teejan Bai died on 5 July 2026: any statement describing her in the present tense is wrong.
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