Surguja Girl Campaigns To Bring Recognition To Chhattisgarh’s Art And Culture
Deeksha Tiwari wants Chhattisgarh's youth to be proud of their art and culture
Published : October 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM IST
Surguja: Why hasn't the tribal art of Bastar got due recognition? With this question in mind, Deeksha Tiwari of Surguja has undertaken a campaign to ensure that tribals of Chhattisgarh get recognised for their various art forms, along with the benefits that come with it.
Having previously worked with the United Nations as well as a local health and welfare company, she left her job after being deeply moved by her experience in Bastar during the course of her research, and decided to pursue her passion of promoting arts and culture.
Although she presently lives in Noida, she is working relentlessly to promote the folk art, culture and practices of tribals from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Already, she has initiated a project to revive the Ghotul tradition of the Muria community in Bastar by training 25 youngsters.
It was while working on a thesis on the relationship of tribals with the welfare state in the face of structural violence that she spent some time studying the miniscule Muria community. They practice a tradition called Ghotul, wherein unmarried young men and women live together to receive social, cultural and literary education, while sharing their experiences. In the process they choose their life partners.
This tradition was often interrupted by the Naxalites, and led to the Ghotul gradually ceasing to attract crowds.
Deeksha said even after she had joined a job at an investment firm after completing her postgraduation, her roots in Chhattisgarh were always on her mind. She kept asking herself what she was doing for her beloved state.
She also realised that amid the diverse arts and culture of India, while people talked about the art coming from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhubani and Gond, the others were rarely mentioned.
“With this thought in mind, we have started working with Chinhari Culture Foundation, and want to promote the culture of states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar by providing grants,” she said.
She explained that the first of the three verticals they are working on aims to create a knowledge system. This has been started by promoting the culture of the Muria community of Bastar through a local non-governmental organisation (NGO). The youngsters of the community were trained over a week so that they can promote Ghotul art.
“Today, 25 youth are successfully reviving their work in one Ghotul. Now they will teach the people in other Ghotuls as well. We are happy that our first work started in the same place where this idea was born,” she shared.
Deeksha further explained, "We're currently working on another grant aimed at creating a knowledge system on the architecture of 10 ancient temples in Chhattisgarh. We're also working on Chhattisgarh's food and Bihar's music, because you know what music is like these days. We'll create knowledge systems on various topics like this."
Deeksha explained that there is a plan underway to create a platform to promote artists. For example, Rajwar Bhitti is a traditional Chhattisgarhi folk art, in which homes and other objects are decorated using clay and natural dyes. Along with her colleagues, she is searching for artists who can be contacted by people in Delhi or other cities who want to commission art to them.
Similarly, they want to provide a platform for women who sing Sohar songs, allowing them to showcase their art at the national and international levels.
Deeksha disclosed, "We are in touch with several designers, through whom we are reaching out to celebrities to make Chhattisgarh's famous bell metal jewellery accessible to the world. We organise events throughout the year to promote our culture."
For this girl of Surguja, her favourite place is Sitabengra cave that holds historical significance in the world's oldest love letter written on its wall. People are unaware of this historical treasure. “We would like to connect it to mainstream history and do research on it to promote tourism here,’ she said.
She feels that Chhattisgarh's youth are facing a cultural identity crisis. “For example, a person from Punjab or Rajasthan is very proud of their culture, but if I talk to a Chhattisgarhi, he will say, ‘We don't speak Chhattisgarhi; it's the language of the tribals.’ This barrier needs to be broken,” she emphasised.
She wants the youth of her state to wear the Kosa (a type of tussar silk endemic to Chhattisgarh) with pride along with the bell metal jewellery.
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