Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai Unveils the Logo and Theme Song of Bastar Pandum 2026 Dedicated to Bastar’s Art, Culture and Traditions

Bastar Pandum Is a Living Platform of Our Rich Tribal Culture, Folk Traditions, Art and Heritage: Chief Minister Shri Sai

Bastar Pandum 2026 to Become a World-Class Cultural Event

Raipur, January 2026 : With the objective of conserving and promoting the rich tribal culture, art, folk traditions and heritage of the Bastar region, Bastar Pandum will once again be organised in 2026 in a grand and attractive manner, similar to last year.

Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, with the blessings of Maa Danteshwari, unveiled the logo and theme song of Bastar Pandum at the temple premises in Dantewada.

On this occasion, extending heartfelt New Year greetings and best wishes, Chief Minister Shri Sai said that Bastar Pandum is a powerful platform to showcase Bastar’s cultural heritage. He said that Bastar Pandum 2026 is being formally launched today from the sacred premises of Maa Danteshwari. The logo and theme song of Bastar Pandum 2026 have been unveiled here. Bastar Pandum is not merely a festival, but the soul of Bastar. It is a living platform of our rich tribal culture, folk traditions, art and heritage.

The Chief Minister said that the true identity of Chhattisgarh lies in its tribal traditions. These traditions and culture are lived through dance, songs, crafts, cuisine, forest-based medicines and sacred groves (Devgudis). Bastar Pandum was initiated last year, and on its concluding occasion, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah was also present. This year, the President of India, the Union Home Minister, the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, and ambassadors of various countries posted in India are also being invited. The enthusiasm and energy shown by the people of Bastar during the previous Bastar Pandum was unprecedented. This time, the event is being made even more grand so that Bastar’s heritage gains recognition not only at the national but also at the global level.

The Chief Minister said that the number of competition categories in Bastar Pandum has been increased from seven to twelve this year. These include tribal dance, song, drama, musical instruments, costumes, jewellery, worship practices, as well as crafts, painting, traditional food and beverages, regional literature and forest-based medicines. This year, the Bastar Pandum competitions will be organised in three phases.

Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the government is committed to preserving Bastar’s culture and passing it on to the younger generation. Bastar will no longer remain only a centre of culture, but will also become a symbol of development through peace, prosperity and tourism. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the double-engine government is taking Bastar to new heights. This festival reflects that Bastar will now be known not for conflict, but for creativity and celebration. He appealed to the people of Bastar and all artist brothers and sisters to enhance Bastar’s pride through their art and participate in large numbers in the competitions organised under Bastar Pandum.

Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma said that the word ‘Pandum’ means festival. In Bastar, various festivals (Pandum) are celebrated from time to time to spread joy. It has been a tradition to begin any festival with the blessings of the Mother Goddess. In this sequence, Bastar Pandum is being launched from the premises of Maa Danteshwari Temple. Bastar is rich in culture, and Bastar Pandum 2026 is being organised by encompassing the art, crafts, dance, music and cuisine of the tribes residing here. He said that efforts to establish peace in Bastar are succeeding and that red terror will be eliminated by March 2026.

Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap said that the art, culture and traditions of Bastar are a matter of pride. Through Bastar Pandum, efforts are being made to establish this rich cultural identity at the global level. During the mythological period, Lord Shri Ram spent time in the Dandakaranya region during his exile. The government has taken an initiative to preserve cultural diversity in such a sacred region.

Culture Minister Shri Rajesh Agrawal said that to promote and preserve the various cultural forms of the culturally rich Bastar region, the government is organising Bastar Pandum for the second consecutive year. Competitions are being organised in twelve categories this year.

During the programme, Chief Minister Shri Sai interacted at the temple premises with senior Manjhi, Chalki, Gayata, priests, prominent members of tribal communities, and Padma award-winning artists of the division. Bastar MP Shri Mahesh Kashyap and Dantewada MLA Shri Chaitram Atami also addressed the gathering. Traditional leaders and community heads of Bastar expressed gratitude to the government for organising Bastar Pandum.

Notably, Bastar Pandum 2026 is proposed to be organised in three phases from January 10, 2026 to February 6, 2026. Under this, block-level programmes will be held from January 10 to 20, district-level programmes from January 24 to 29, and divisional-level programmes from February 2 to 6. The disciplines in which performances and competitions will be held include Bastar tribal dance, song, drama, musical instruments, costumes and jewellery, worship practices, crafts, painting, tribal beverages, traditional cuisine, regional literature and forest-based medicines.

Discussions were also held on specially inviting Indian ambassadors serving in various countries to Bastar Pandum this year, to familiarise them with Bastar’s unique cultural heritage, traditions and tribal life. It has also been decided to invite senior officials from the Bastar division, officers selected through UPSC and CGPSC, doctors, engineers, senior public representatives, and tribal dance groups from various states of the country.

Arrangements are proposed for participant registration through both online and offline modes to ensure maximum participation of artists and groups. Programmes will be organised with the objective of conserving and promoting the art, crafts, festivals, cuisine, dialects, jewellery, traditional musical instruments, dance, song, drama, regional literature, forest-based medicines and sacred groves of the Bastar region.

Under this initiative, events will be organised in three phases across 1,885 gram panchayats, 32 janpad panchayats, 8 municipalities, 12 nagar panchayats and 1 municipal corporation area across the seven districts of the Bastar division. The Department of Culture and Official Language has been designated as the nodal department for this event.

On this occasion, MP Shri Mahesh Kashyap, Dantewada MLA Shri Chaitram Atami, Bastar IG Shri Sundarraj P., Secretary of the Culture Department Shri Rohit Yadav, DIG Shri Kamlochan Kashyap, Collector Shri Devesh Kumar Dhruv, Superintendent of Police Shri Gaurav Rai, along with other public representatives and officials, were present.