Cuttack, Nov. 16: Renowned Pandwani singer Teejan Bai was at her best when she narrated the tales of the Mahabharata during a programme held at the newly renovated amphitheatre of Ravenshaw University yesterday.

Pandwani is a traditional performing art from Chhattisgarh wherein the artiste enacts the tales of the great epic. The narration is accompanied with harmonium, dholak, banjo and manjeera. Teejan Bai’s performance was accompanied by her co-singer Keshav Thakur.

“This is the fifth time that I am in Odisha, but first time that I performed in Cuttack. As an artiste, I always try to establish a direct contact with the students in the country who are yet to explore the traditional folk and dance forms which form the essence of our culture,” said Bai. She said folk arts were our cultural heritage and should be preserved for the next generations. Moreover, the art was not dying as it was deeply rooted in our culture, Bai said.

Recalling her struggle, the artiste said she was ostracised by her community for singing Pandwani, which used to be performed only by male singers. At the age of 13, Bai gave her first public performance and since then she has been performing loud in her typical guttural voice. Owing to her dedication, Bai was awarded with Padamshree and Padmabhusan.

“I still recall the day when I performed before Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and she congratulated me personally for the performance. It is God’s grace that I have received support and affection of people I have performed for,” Teejan Bai said.