The Tata Steel and the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) conducted cultural events at various schools within the community intervention areas of Tata Steel in Jharkhand and Odisha from November 3 to 7.
The objective of the event was to promote intangible aspects of Indian cultural heritage through Indian classical music, dance, folk music, and crafts among the children and youth. A performance on an exponent of ‘Pandavani’, a traditional art form, was organized by Padma Bhushan & Padma Shri Teejan Bai across 10 schools of East Singhbhum. More than 4200 students attended the event and applauded the performance. The inaugural performance, conducted at Vidya Bharati Chinmaya Vidhyalaya, Telco Jamshedpur, motivated the students and highlighted the importance of Indian culture in fostering traditional values in a person.
Teejan Bai, pandavani artist from Chhattisgarh has said that Pandavani is not just my art or your art, it is the country’s art and we all should be proud of it. Teejan Bai went about her tough life, thinking about her art, infusing it with new emotions and thoughts. “I have never sat down for riyaz. I was always at it, so I never gave it special, dedicated time,” she explains.