Raipur, 24 March 2022. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, serious efforts have been started to preserve, promote and promote the glorious culture of Chhattisgarh. Start of organizing the Hareli, Teeja, Pora festivals of our culture at the government level, the project of development of Ramvan Gaman tourism circuit, promotion of traditional games of Chhattisgarh, Hareli, Haritalika Teej, Chherchera Punni-Shakambhari Jayanti, Karma Jayanti, World Tribal Day And the declaration of a public holiday on Chhath Puja is a hallmark of these efforts.
Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram, with his mother Ma Kaushalya, many living proofs of the integral relationship of Kaushal Pradesh Chhattisgarh exist in the folk culture of Chhattisgarh in the form of tradition of Ramnami Sampradaya, Ramlila and Ramkothi. There is a folk belief that Kaushalya, the mother of Lord Rama, was born and brought up in the lap of Chhattisgarh Mahtari. Probably that is why for centuries the people of Chhattisgarh have been treating Lord Ram as his nephew and giving him godlike respect and respect. These traditions and beliefs are our valuable intangible cultural heritage, which the state government is trying to preserve. Our government is determined to transfer this priceless heritage to the future generations by promoting and protecting the Ram-Ramayani tradition prevalent in the state, including the development and upgradation of the centers of faith associated with the Ram Vanagaman path.
The ‘Ramayana Mandali Protsahan Yojana 2021’ has been started by the Culture Department for the protection, promotion and promotion of artists of Ramayana troupes of Chhattisgarh. Under this scheme, the competition of Ramayana circles has started from gram panchayat level to state level. The competition has been organized at the gram panchayat level from March 10 to 15. Similarly, competitions are being organized at the block level from March 15 to 31. The competition will be organized at the district level from 03 to 05 April. After this, a state level competition will be organized from April 8 to 10 at Shivrinarayan, a pilgrimage town located in Janjgir-Champa district. In the state level competition, Rs 5 lakh will be given to the team securing first position, Rs 3 lakh to Ramayana troupe, and Rs 2 lakh to the third place team.
About 250 to 300 Ramayana congregations will participate in the state level competition. Rs 5000 will be given to Ramayan Mandali securing first position at gram panchayat level, Rs 10,000 to Ramayan Mandali securing first position at block level and Rs 50,000 to Ramayan Mandli, which will get first position at district level.
The Department of Culture is implementing the Ramayana Mandali Incentive Scheme for the promotion and development of folk traditional styles of folk artists of the Ramayana troupe, preservation and promotion of folk traditional instruments. For the implementation of the scheme, rules have been made to make the process of providing proper incentives, honors, awards to the artists standard and transparent. In Chhattisgarh, Ramayana circles are active in almost all villages of 11 thousand 664 gram panchayats of 20619 villages and in urban areas, Ramayana circles are active in each ward of Nagar Panchayat, Municipality, Municipal Corporation. There are 5811 Ramayana congregations registered in the Chinchari portal of the Culture Department.
Artists of rural areas, who have made their continuous contribution in bringing alive the folk culture and art of Chhattisgarh, who perform the story based on Shri Ram Charitmanas in folk traditional style in the prevailing style through bhajan kirtan, interpretation by artist groups, in which the main The instruments used are Harmonium, Tabla, Dholak, Manjira, Jhumka. Even today in many villages Navdha Ramayana is organized in the month of December-January. This tradition, which has been going on for years, is being kept alive by the villagers through the weekly Ramayana, Savanahi Ramayana, Navadha Ramayana, Ramayana competition. At present, due to the influence of modernity, electronic instruments are being used in place of traditional instruments. Protection of folk traditional style of folk artists, folk traditional instruments through Ramayana Mandali Promotion Scheme by the Department of Culture, The main objective is to promote tax incentives. Ramayana Mandali Promotion Scheme 2021 has been published in Chhattisgarh Gazette on 01 October 2021.
For organizing the competition, a three-member jury has been constituted at the gram panchayat level under the chairmanship of the sarpanch, secretary, for the block level under the chairmanship of the SDM and for organizing the district level competition under the chairmanship of the collector. One member of these committees is related to folk art. For the state level competition, a jury has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Commissioner or Director of Culture Department. It consists of two official members and two non-official members. For this event, the administrative department of the Culture Department and the Directorate of Culture and Archeology have been made the nodal agencies by the state government. In this competition, such Ramayana circles will be included, which are registered in the Chinchari portal of the Department of Culture. With this for three years villages, towns, Popular Kaladals and budding artists in rural areas will also be able to participate in this competition. Under the Ramayana Mandali Incentive, there is a provision to give an incentive of Rs 5000 once a year under special incentive to the Ramayana congregations registered in the Chinhari portal. These circles will be ineligible for the incentive amount for the next two years. In this scheme, a provision has been made to give incentive amount to about 7000 mandals.
