VMPL

New Delhi [India], August 12: India Habitat Centre (IHC), in collaboration with Anwesha Kala Kendra (AKK), concluded the IHC Lok Sangeet Sammelan 2026 on August 9, bringing together two distinctive and deeply rooted folk traditions from across India - Chhattisgarh's Pandavani and Kerala's Pulluvan Pattu.

Held on August 8 and 9 at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, the two-day festival celebrated India's rich living heritage of folk music, storytelling and ritual traditions, while creating a platform for traditional artistes and cultural practitioners to connect with contemporary audiences.

The Sammelan opened on August 8 with a special tribute to legendary Pandavani exponent and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai, celebrating her immense contribution to taking the Chhattisgarhi folk storytelling tradition from village communities to national and international stages.

The presentation was led by renowned Pandavani exponent Prabha Yadav, accompanied by an ensemble of traditional musicians. Through the distinctive combination of storytelling, music, rhythm and expressive performance that defines Pandavani, the evening paid homage to Teejan Bai's enduring legacy and highlighted the continuing vitality of this oral storytelling tradition.

The opening evening brought together eminent personalities and cultural stakeholders, including Prof. (Dr.) K.G. Suresh, Director, India Habitat Centre; R. Krishna Das, senior journalist and Advisor to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh; Shri Anuj Sharma, MLA from Dharsiwa and celebrated Chhattisgarhi film personality; and Prabal Pratap Singh, cultural activist. Their presence underscored the importance of creating meaningful platforms for India's traditional performing arts and the artists who carry them forward.

The second evening, on August 9, turned the spotlight to Kerala's Pulluvan Pattu, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience one of the state's distinctive ritual music traditions traditionally associated with serpent worship. Led by Sathyanarayanan. P, the performance unfolds through the single-stringed Pulluvan Veena, the earthen-pot Pulluvan Kudam, and bell-metal Ilathalam Cymbals, with an ensemble including Bindhu K.P, Suresh Babu E, Sreejith P, and Sreejil P. Set around the myth of serpents, this ancient oral tradition is driven by rhythm and percussive beats.

The presentation brought together music, ritual aesthetics and ceremonial traditions, reflecting the deep relationship between folk art, spirituality, community practices and the natural world that characterises Kerala's ritual heritage.

Together, the two evenings demonstrated the extraordinary diversity of India's intangible cultural heritage, from the epic storytelling tradition of Pandavani in Chhattisgarh to the ritual music traditions of Pulluvan Pattu in Kerala. Both traditions, while distinct in form and context, are sustained through generations of community knowledge, practice and transmission.

Prof. (Dr.) K.G. Suresh, Director, India Habitat Centre, said: 'India's folk traditions represent the living cultural memory of our communities. They are not simply forms of performance, but embody relationships between people, nature, faith and generations of inherited knowledge. The India Habitat Centre collaborated with Anwesha Kala Kendra through the IHC Lok Sangeet Sammelan to bring such distinctive traditions as Pandavani and Pulluvan Pattu to audiences in Delhi. Platforms such as these are important for ensuring that India's diverse folk traditions continue to be experienced, appreciated and preserved.'

Speaking on the occasion, Anwesha Brahma, Secretary, Anwesha Kala Kendra, said: 'India's folk traditions are the voices of our communities, carrying centuries of history, philosophy, ritual and collective memory. Through the IHC Lok Sangeet Sammelan, we hope to create meaningful platforms where these extraordinary traditions can be experienced in their richness and authenticity and carried forward to new generations..'

The two-day festival also highlighted the important role of cultural institutions in keeping India's intangible cultural heritage alive. By providing traditional artists with contemporary platforms while remaining rooted in the communities and practices from which these traditions emerge, such initiatives can help ensure that India's diverse folk heritage continues to thrive.

The IHC Lok Sangeet Sammelan, presented by India Habitat Centre, brings together folk traditions from different parts of India, celebrating the country's extraordinary diversity of musical, storytelling and ritual practices.

For over 25 years, Anwesha Kala Kendra has worked towards preserving, promoting and documenting India's classical and folk arts through performances, festivals, cultural exchanges and educational initiatives.

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