Key Highlights

• The visit: President Droupadi Murmu will visit Chhattisgarh on October 22 and 23.
• The highlight: She will attend the “Muria Darbar” and the main public event of Bastar Dussehra at Lalbag Ground, Jagdalpur.
• The invitation: Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai had invited her to the festival.
• Raipur events: Programmes at Lok Bhavan and the Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium.
• Preparations: Security, convoys and arrangements reviewed at a coordination meeting in Raipur.

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Chhattisgarh on October 22 and 23, attending events in Raipur and Jagdalpur. The highlight of her visit will be the world-famous Bastar Dussehra, where she will attend the “Muria Darbar” and the festival’s main public event at Lalbag Ground in Jagdalpur.

The visit follows a special invitation from Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai.

Her Schedule

What Is Bastar Dussehra?

Bastar Dussehra is unlike the Dussehra most of India knows. There is no burning of Ravana’s effigy. Instead, the festival is devoted to Maa Danteshwari, the revered goddess of the Bastar region, and is celebrated by its tribal communities over about 75 days, making it one of the longest festivals in the world.

Its rituals include the pulling of a massive wooden chariot by tribal communities and a series of traditional ceremonies rooted in local faith and history.

What Is the Muria Darbar?

The Muria Darbar is one of Bastar Dussehra’s most distinctive traditions. It is a gathering where tribal leaders and representatives meet with administrators and raise local issues, a centuries-old form of dialogue between communities and those who govern.

Why It Matters: A Tribal President at a Tribal Festival

President Murmu’s presence carries special meaning. As India’s first President from a tribal community, her attendance at Bastar Dussehra, a festival kept alive by the region’s tribal communities, and at the Muria Darbar, where tribal voices speak directly to the state, is a powerful symbolic moment.

It also brings national attention to Bastar, a region often in the news for security challenges, through its rich culture and traditions instead.

Preparations Underway

A coordination meeting chaired by the Governor’s Secretary, C.R. Prasanna, was held at Lok Bhavan in Raipur on Monday to review arrangements, including seating, parking, power supply, internet connectivity, vehicles and security. The Chief Secretary directed District Collectors and police officials of the Raipur and Bastar divisions to ensure smooth convoy movement from Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport and Jagdalpur’s Maa Danteshwari Airport to all venues.

The Bottom Line

When President Murmu sits at the Muria Darbar in Jagdalpur, she will be part of one of India’s most unique festivals, and a living tradition of tribal dialogue that predates modern democracy.

With inputs from IANS.