Pandvani are lore of the Pandavas sung and recited in Chhattisgarh. This video presents a rarely sung and little known form of singing the Pandvani known locally as Khatgayan Pandvani. The story, part of regional lore, recounts adventures that lead to the marriage of Sahadev, with Bheema as its principal protagonist.
Laxman Ram Dhruv, from Chirko village, in Mahasammund district in Chhattisgarh presents the story with his troupe. His style of presenting the story owes much to the Nacha form of theater popular in Chhattisgarh, in which light hearted banter accompanies the telling of the story. He also weaves in topical references to further enliven the tale and keep its relevance.
Khatgayan Pandvani, so called because it is a deviation from the now accepted text based narrative of the Mahabharata, represents lore that belongs to region's narratives of the Pandavas. It is now a vanishing tradition, rarely performed in this region or beyond. Lakhan Ram Dhruv is one of the few remaining performers of this form of the Pandvani.
This content has been created as part of a project commissioned by the Directorate of Culture and Archaeology, Government of Chhattisgarh, to document the cultural and natural heritage of the state of Chhattisgarh.
