President Droupadi Murmu Attends Bastar Dussehra at Jagdalpur

President Droupadi Murmu attended and addressed a public programme at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on 23 October 2026, on the occasion of Bastar Dussehra. She described the festival as a living symbol of the state’s cultural pride and collective faith, and said the way the whole community takes part in it is extraordinary, with rituals that bind different sections of society together.

On Chhattisgarh and Naxalism

The President said Chhattisgarh had borne the scourge of Naxalism for a long time. Through the coordinated work of the Union and state governments, she said, the region has been freed of Naxal violence and is now moving quickly along the path of progress. She was glad to note that steps to give financial support to tribal entrepreneurs and link them to markets had been stepped up in recent times, and said she was confident that equitable and inclusive development of this kind would help achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047.

A lesson from tribal life

Speaking about the tribal way of life, the President said tribal communities worship nature because nature gives life, and that in the journey of development the country should take valuable lessons from their nature-nurturing lifestyle. She underlined how important it is to protect and nourish the environment.

Muriya Darbar and Maa Danteshwari Temple

Before the public programme, the President interacted with the local Manjhi and Chalki, the traditional community representatives, at the Muriya Darbar. She also saw the rangoli and the Dussehra exhibition at Jagdalpur. Earlier in the day she offered darshan and puja at the Maa Danteshwari Temple in Jagdalpur.

Bastar Dussehra is among the longest-running festivals of the Bastar region, and the President’s visit put its community-wide participation and its rituals in the national spotlight, along with the message that tribal respect for nature should guide the country’s development.