Raipur: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the grand tribal cultural festival 'Bastar Pandum–2026' in Jagdalpur on February 7, 2026. Widely regarded as the cultural confluence of tribal heritage, the divisional-level Bastar Pandum will continue until February 9. This three-day celebration of the tribal community showcases the lifestyle, beliefs, customs and rich cultural legacy of indigenous communities. Closely rooted in folk art, local traditions and ancestral practices, Bastar Pandum serves as an essential platform to strengthen the identity, pride and heritage of tribal communities. Through this festival, the cultural richness of the Bastar region gains wider recognition at the national level.
A host of dignitaries are expected to be present at the inaugural ceremony alongside President Murmu, including the Governor of Chhattisgarh, Ramen Deka; Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai; Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu; Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma; Tourism and Culture Minister Rajesh Agrawal; and Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap.
This year, the festival has presentations and participation across 12 cultural disciplines.
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Young artists will showcase Bastar’s tribal dances, folk songs, theatre forms, traditional musical instruments, costumes and ornaments, ritual practices, indigenous crafts and tribal paintings. The festival will also raise awareness of traditional tribal beverages, local cuisines, regional literature, and the medicinal value of forest-based herbs from Bastar.
Closely tied to ancestral practices, local traditions, and folk art, the festival showcases the beliefs, customs, and lifestyles of the tribal people, boosting the Bastar region’s cultural recognition nationally, one government official said.
