Raipur’s three-day Lokrang Parv brings Bharathari, Pandavani, Dewar songs and traditional dances to the open-air stage until September 8.
RAIPUR, September 6, 2026 — The folk tradition of the state was in focus at the Muktaakash Manch in the Mahant Ghasidas Museum complex in Raipur on Sunday, as the three-day ‘LokRang Parv’ was inaugurated by the Culture Department of the state.
The Culture Department says the festival, which runs from September 6-8, is designed to protect the rich folk culture of the state of Chhattisgarh, and to introduce the younger generation to its cultural legacy. On the first day, Bharathari Gatha, Pandavani, Dewar songs etc. were performed as a part of traditional folk art.
The programme commenced with Bharathari Gatha setting the tone with an evening dedicated to traditional stories and music of Chhattisgarh. Later shows captured the audience with performances based on the state’s folk culture and life.
A variety of traditional forms are brought together in the festival, such as Bharathari Gatha, Dewar songs, karma dance, Sarhul, Lorik-Chanda, Dadariya, Pandavani and Panthi. The programme will create a platform for artists of these traditions to showcase their work to a wider audience.
Durga Sahu presented the performances of Pandavani on first day, Poonam Tiwari performed Dewar songs and Arunima Sharma presented Bharathari Gatha. Their shows contained some elements of a folk life, traditions and cultural heritage of Chhattisgarh, the organisers said.
The festival has been conceived not just as a theatre event, but as an attempt to maintain the continuity of traditional art forms and their relationship with the present day audience. Local platforms encourage folk artists linked with folk traditions of Chhattisgarh and provide opportunities for them to perform and reach out to people through culture and archaeology director Dr Sanjay Kannouje said.
There were folk programmes which enable the state’s folk traditions and cultural heritage to reach the public, and to help young people stay in touch with their culture, he added. He said that folk art of Chhattisgarh is not only entertainment, it is also a part of the history, social life, folk beliefs and community traditions of the region.
Traditional artistic forms rely upon passing them from generation to generation, which is why the focus on younger audiences becomes important. The festival is part of a campaign to pass on traditions that play on stage to future generations, the department said.
It also attracted people who were engaged in literature, journalism and the arts with the opening of LokRang Parv. The first programme was attended by the citizens and the art and culture lovers, including the Culture and Archaeology Director Dr Sanjay Kannouje, Deputy Director Umesh Mishra, the poet Mir Ali Mir, Bhojpuri actress Shweta Padda, senior journalist and photographer Dipendra Diwan, litterateur Vijay Mishra etc.
The selection of Muktaakash Manch in Mahant Ghasidas Museum complex has created an environment for the festival’s shows in Raipur.The selection of the Muktaakash Manch at the Mahant Ghasidas Museum complex has created such an atmosphere in which the festival’s performances take place in the public. It is organizing the three day programme which will allow residents to try out traditional music, folk stories and dances in one cultural event.
The festival runs until 8th September, and artists from all of the various folk traditions will give their performances on the remaining days. The programme provides the citizens of Raipur with a chance to witness and hear the traditional Chhattisgarh folk music, folk tales and dances.
LokRang Parv is also a celebration of the diversity of the state’s folk culture, with a variety of traditions being performed. The programme will showcase various forms of performance traditions of the region under one umbrella: Pandavani, Bharathari Gatha, Dewar songs, Dadariya, Karma, Sarhul, Lorik-Chanda and Panthi.
The main goal for the organisers is to keep and popularise these traditions. The festival aims to keep Chhattisgarh’s cultural heritage alive beyond the communities and artistic spheres it has been enjoyed in.
The evening which was the first of the series, tried to showcase that heritage through the music, storytelling and movement, which are a part of the folk culture of Chhattisgarh.
LokRang Parv will remain dedicated to the state’s traditional artists and art forms for next two days, till September 8. The performance of Bharathari Gatha and other folk performances on the first day of the festival in public space of Raipur made it the center of a public cultural event.The day of the festival saw Bharathari Gatha and other folk performances in the public space of Raipur, making it the center of a public cultural event.
