Teejan Bai performs Pandvani at a function organised by East Central Railway Women Welfare Assocation in Patna on Saturday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, June 4: It was like a journey through the Kurukshetra battlefield for spectators watching a Pandvani folk performance by Teejan Bai, a Padma Bhushan as well as Padma Shri award winner, at the SK Memorial Hall in the state capital today.

Teejan Bai was narrating the Karan-Arjun episode from Mahabharat on the stage.

Teejan was dressed in a red sari, silver amulets, armbands, anklets and her jet-black hair tied in a long plait. When she started narrating the Karna-Arjun episode after the announcement of the famous lines from Mahabharat “Yada yada hi dharmasya, glanir bhavati bharata” the spectators just held their breath for some time.

She narrated the tragic tale of Karna fighting his last battle against Arjun and his charioteer Lord Krishna playing the role of his mentor. As soon as she finished her performance, there was a huge applause.

Teejan gave her first public performance at the age of 13 in Chandrakhuri village (Durg) and since then, she has regaled people in her typical Chattisgharhi voice and enthusiasm. Today, she is the most renowned singer of this style.

Before her performance, Teejan said: “What a great honour for me. I am very lucky and God has blessed me with this fame. Even my parents did not like it when I took up folk singing and performed as a child. It has been a long journey. I have grown old but I will keep singing till my last breath.”

This musical evening was organised by East Central Railway Women Welfare Association (ECRWWA) to entertain the railway employees. East Central Railway (ECR) general manager K.K. Shrivastava appreciated the efforts of the association. He said: “I am amazed to see her performance, she is truly a jewel of India and a rare one. She is a true artist who has carved a path, walking against the wind, a niche artist. My salutations to her and we wish her the best and more recognition from all over the world.”

President of the association Sadhna Shrivastava said: “Finally I got to watch the legendary Teejan Bai from Chattisgarh in action. I had heard so much about her and I was wondering if the actual performance could live up to my expectations. But her performance is beyond my expectations and it just surpassed them. The language she has used in her Pandvani style of storytelling is so simple that even I could follow it. The best part I liked about her performance is that she put so much of enthusiasm and action into the whole performance, that it felt I was present at the battlefield and witnessing the war with my own eyes.”

Pandvani is one of the few styles, where the lead is sung by a woman. She is the best-known name in this genre today. ECR chief public relations officer Neeraj Ambastha said such kind of musical evenings would boost the morale of the railway employees and it will work as refreshment after watching the live performance of Teejan Bai.

After the performance of Teejan, an artist from Bengal, Ratna Basu, also performed in front of the railway employees.