Chhattisgarh’s culture scattered in Pragati Maidan
Cultural evening organized on Chhattisgarh State Day at Pragati Maidan, Delhi
New Delhi, 21 November 2022
Folk artists of Chhattisgarh graced the country’s capital Delhi with their presentation at Pragati Maidan. The occasion was a cultural evening on the State Day of Chhattisgarh at the India International Trade Fair, where the unique folk art and culture of Chhattisgarh was scattered in the Amphitheater.
The program was inaugurated by Food and Culture Minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Amarjit Bhagat. Earlier, the Food and Culture Minister visited the Chhattisgarh Pavilion, where he visited different stalls and took information from the artists and encouraged them. There he said that if our culture is destroyed, then our identity will be destroyed. That’s why we have to preserve our culture even in the changing environment and adverse circumstances. This type of event has an important contribution in the preservation of its culture and folk art.
A large number of people witnessed the rich culture and art of Chhattisgarh today at the Amphitheater of Pragati Maidan. The audience also encouraged the artists by clapping loudly. Artists from Chhattisgarh presented dances performed on various festivals, Teej festivals in Chhattisgarh. Food and Culture Minister Mr. Amarjit Bhagat also could not stop himself in the cultural evening. On reaching the stage, he also patted the mandar along with the artists.
The artists of Lok Ragni Dal, who came from Bhilai, first started the dance by worshiping the goddess, in which the massacre of the demon by the goddess was shown. Women artists presented the dance skills of Chhattisgarh through Sua dance followed by Bhojali dance.
The Sua dance is basically a dance of women and adolescent girls. In this dance women carry a Sua (clay parrot) in a basket and dance around it and sing Sua songs. Clapping is done with hand or with a piece of wood. At the end of this dance, Shiva Gauri marriage is organized. After which Gendi dance was performed. It is a male-dominated dance, in which men dance with great speed and skill while maintaining physical balance on the cart. This dance displays physical skill and balance.
Gave a presentation of the Parab dance performed by the tribes of Bastar. This dance is performed by the Dhurwa tribe living in Bastar. This dance is called Sainik Nritya, because the dancers carry the ax and sword, the symbols of valour, during the dance. This dance is organized on the occasion of Madai.
There, the Gaur dance performed by the Maria tribe of Bastar on the Jatra festival was presented. In this dance, the young man wears a cow’s lion on his head by making a crown by decorating it with shells. Hence this dance is also called Gaur Nitya. Only men participate in this dance. The only instrument played by women is called Tirtuddi.
Along with this, the artists presented the traditional dance of Chhattisgarh, Karma. This is done to please Karma Dev. In this dance, people wear traditional costumes and dance and sing Chhattisgarhi songs.
In the end, the artists of Upkar Panthi dance team conveyed the messages of Guru Ghasidas to the people through dance. This dance is a combination of several steps and patterns. This dance is not only one of the most important forms of folk dance of the region, but is also considered a major custom or ceremony of the Satnami community of Chhattisgarh. This dance is often performed by the community during the celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Ghasidas which occurs on Magha Purnima.
On this occasion, Vivek Acharya, Director, Culture Department, Himshikhar Gupta, Special Secretary, Industries Department, Yogendra Tripathi, Culture Council, Rajendra Tiwari, Chairman, Khadi Village Industry, Arun Prasad, Managing Director, CSIDC, Shyam Sundar Bajaj, Managing Director, Small Forest Produce Association, Residential Commissioner Mr. Ajit Vasant and other officers were present.
