Renowned Pandavani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, early on Sunday, July 5.
According to The Indian Express, she was 70 and AIIMS Raipur said she had been undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness. Doctors admitted her on May 27 after she developed breathing difficulties and generalised weakness. A multidisciplinary team treated her in the Critical Care Unit and placed her on ventilator support.
The hospital confirmed that she suffered a cardiac arrest at around 2:45 am on July 5. Despite immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced life support, doctors declared her dead at about 3:15 am. The hospital informed her family.
Born on August 8, 1956, in Ganiyari village near Bhilai, Teejan Bai belonged to the Pardhi Scheduled Tribe. She grew up in a family of five siblings. She learned the Chhattisgarhi version of the Mahabharata from her maternal grandfather, Brijlal Pardhi, and later trained under Umed Singh Deshmukh.
She gave her first public performance at the age of 13 in Chandrakhuri. She performed Pandavani in the Kapalik standing style. This style broke away from the traditional sitting format and remained rare for women at the time.
Her career rose from village stages to global recognition after theatre personality Habib Tanvir discovered her talent. She performed before then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and later represented Indian folk culture on international stages. She travelled to countries including England, France, Germany, Turkey and Mauritius.
She also appeared in Shyam Benegal’s Doordarshan series Bharat Ek Khoj, where she performed Mahabharata sequences.
Teejan Bai received several major honours during her lifetime. She received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995, the Padma Bhushan in 2003 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2019.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over her death. She said Teejan Bai brought recognition to Chhattisgarh’s Pandavani tradition through her talent and powerful performances.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute. He said her performances gave global recognition to the folk art of Chhattisgarh and called her death an irreparable loss to art and culture.
Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh also expressed condolences.
AIIMS Raipur Executive Director Lt Gen Ashok Jindal (Retd) said the institute paid tribute to the artist and extended condolences to her family.
Her body was later taken to her native village Ganiyari in Durg district. Authorities performed her last rites with full state honours.
Teejan Bai faced hardships early in life. She married at the age of 12 and faced social exclusion after her community opposed her performances as a woman. She continued despite the challenges and later became a mentor to younger artists.
Her major performance repertoire included Draupadi Cheerharan, Dushasana Vadh and the Mahabharata war between Bhishma and Arjuna.
