Irreparable loss to world of art: Leaders express grief over Teejan Bai’s demise

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Leaders across party lines expressed deep sadness over the demise of Padma Vibhushan awardee and legendary Pandwani singer Teejan Bai, recalling her invaluable contributions to elevating Chhattisgarh’s cultural identity onto an international level.

Teejan Bai passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur on Sunday after battling a prolonged illness. According to the hospital officials, Teejan Bai breathed her last at 3.15 a.m. on Sunday. She had been undergoing treatment since May 27. Teejan Bai was suffering from severe lung infection, bloodstream infection (sepsis), and acute kidney injury.

Home Minister Amit Shah, taking to social media, paid his heartfelt tributes to Teejan Bai and expressed grief over her passing, calling it an “irreparable loss to the world of art”.

“With her unique talent and dedication, she bestowed a distinct identity upon the Pandwani folk art form. Her contribution to the preservation of this Chhattisgarh folk art will forever remain memorable. May the departed soul find eternal peace at the divine lotus feet, and may God grant strength to the bereaved family and her admirers to bear this sorrow,” the Home Minister said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai visited AIIMS Raipur upon learning about the sad news and paid his last respects to the legendary singer.

“The news of the demise of Dr Teejan Bai Ji, the immortal bard of Chhattisgarh’s folk culture, recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, and world-renowned Pandwani artist, is extremely heartbreaking. Her passing is not only an irreplaceable loss for the world of folk arts but also for the entire cultural heritage of Chhattisgarh and the whole nation,” CM Sai said in a post on X.

“Through her unique singing style, extraordinary talent, and preservation of folk traditions, she elevated Chhattisgarh’s cultural identity onto the global stage. Her unparalleled contribution will forever remain memorable. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that He grant a place at His divine feet to the departed noble soul and bestow strength and solace upon the bereaved family, countless admirers, and the entire folk arts community to bear this profound sorrow,” he added.

The Chief Minister also announced that the state government will perform her last rites with full state honours.

Chhattisgarh Minister Kedar Kashyap also took to X and condoled the death of Teejan Bai.

“Chhattisgarh’s folk culture has today lost its most resounding voice. The passing of Teejan Bai Ji, the Padma Vibhushan-honoured practitioner of Pandwani, is an irreparable loss to the state’s cultural heritage. She bestowed a new identity upon Chhattisgarh’s folk traditions and Pandwani on the global stage through her extraordinary art,” he added.

Paying tributes, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the demise of the legendary Pandwani singer is “extremely heartbreaking”

“Through her exceptional talent, powerful expression, and dedication to music, she elevated Chhattisgarh’s rich folk tradition ‘Pandwani’ to new heights. Her contribution to the preservation and promotion of Indian folk art and cultural heritage is unforgettable. I pray to Maa Danteshwari to grant the departed soul a place at her divine feet and provide strength to the grieving family and her admirers to bear this immense sorrow,” the UP Chief Minister added.

UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, in a post on X, expressed grief over the passing of Teejan Bai and said, “With her exceptional talent and dedicated practice, she took Chhattisgarh’s ‘Pandwani’ folk tradition to every household, thereby bestowing new prestige upon Indian folk culture.”

He said that Teejan Bai’s contribution to the preservation and promotion of folk culture will “forever remain an inspiration”.

Senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the demise of the “invaluable gem of Chhattisgarh”, Teejan Bai, is a “profound loss to the art and culture” of India.

“Through her singing, she kept the Pandwani art form vibrantly alive and brought glory to Chhattisgarh on the global stage. Today, we all pay our heartfelt tribute to her. May God grant peace to her soul and strength to her family and admirers,” Baghel said in a post on X.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Deepak Baij, taking to social media, said, “The invaluable heritage of Chhattisgarh, the great Pandwani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee, the passing of Smt. Teejan Bai Ji is an irreplaceable loss not only for Chhattisgarh but for the entire nation’s world of art and culture.”

The 70-year-old folk icon was widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of Pandwani — a Chhattisgarh-based folk singing style involving narration of tales from the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata.

Born in 1956 in Ganiyari village near Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, Teejan Bai rose from humble beginnings to become an internationally acclaimed artist. She popularised Pandwani, a traditional folk art form of Chhattisgarh in which stories from the Mahabharata are narrated through powerful singing and dramatic performance.

Her unique style, marked by deep emotion and energetic delivery while seated on stage, brought this lesser-known folk tradition to the global stage.

Over her illustrious career, Teejan Bai received some of India’s highest civilian honours, including the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2003, and Padma Vibhushan in 2019. She was also conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995 and several other prestigious recognitions for her immense contribution to Indian folk culture.

–IANS

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