To be developed as tourist destination, Bastar all set to promote artistic temperament

Bastar Art Gallery site

By Deepanwita Gita Niyogi*
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, which is known for its vibrant tribal culture and rich history, is all set to become an artisans’ paradise. Two happening centres aimed at promoting local culture, the Bastar Art Gallery beside the famed Dalpat Sagar lake and BADAL or the Bastar Academy of Dance, Arts and Literature are almost at the last stage of completion.
According to Jeet Singh Arya of Unexplored Bastar, a travel startup to promote Bastar as a tourist destination, several attempts have made to clean up the 400-year-old Dalpat Sagar lake in Jagdalpur, the district headquarters of Bastar, on many occasions. At present, the district administration has also initiated steps in this direction. “The water of the lake will be treated and efforts made to prevent dirty water from entering the water body,” he said.
As Dalpat Sagar is the largest man-made lake of Chhattisgarh, the district administration naturally wanted to develop an activity centre around it, and hence the idea of the art gallery. To promote famous crafts of Bastar like bell metal or dhokra, tuma or dried gourd art and wrought iron, existing buildings belonging to the colonial period are being renovated and new structures added. The place is beside Dalpat Sagar, which used to be the site of the city’s pump house originally. Now, the Bastar gallery is coming up here.

Bastar Academy of Dance, Arts and Literature (BADAL)

Arya said both the art gallery as well as BADAL will promote the artistic temperament. “Back in the British time, there used to be a pump house here. At present, work is on to conserve the existing buildings and new ones are under various stages of completion. The Bastar Art Gallery is mainly for artisans and BADAL will aid in the learning process.”
The most interesting feature of the Bastar Art Gallery site is the protection of an ancient peepal tree by Nagpur-based conservation architect Shivani Sharma. Sharma has planned, designed and protected the gallery site by drawing up a master plan which also includes the lake.
“Work is still going on. Its development was planned in phases. Initially, conservation started with the two main structures facing each other having the British-period look. After that the campus was expanded. In the process, an old well discovered during the renovation work has been kept intact as part of the master plan,” Sharma said.

The unique peepal tree

The unique peepal tree, which is perhaps 50-60 years old, has been protected. Currently, the tree clings on to a huge portion of the wall and is still growing. “We could not disturb it or else the entire structure would have collapsed. So, the tree load was reduced from the top by careful trimming,” the architect said.
Sharma said to retain the look of the past century, lime plaster has been used along with organic materials like jute fibre, gur (jaggery) and gum.
Gaurav Kushwaha, who runs an e-commerce platform called Lokabazar which sells Bastar’s famous handicrafts, said renovation and construction activity speeded up from the period of the second lockdown. “The Bastar Art Gallery will be used to organise exhibitions. Classes will be held related to arts and craft. Hutments will be constructed and live demonstrations of various art forms will be given to visitors.”

The BADAL site at gram panchayat Aasana outside the limits of Jagdalpur is a defunct property of the Chhattisgarh tourism board. Arya informed that discussions were held on how to best utilise the place.
It has been decided that the site will serve as a space where those interested can either learn local languages like Gondi and Halbi or pick up dance forms.

Murals at BADAL

It will be an economic activity site developed on the lines of a university where people can come and stay back for learning and exposure. The place has been made attractive with bright orange walls sporting beautiful murals. BADAL is mainly for performing arts and language conservation and is being developed at a budget of Rs 3 crore.

The Bastar Art Gallery is being developed at Rs 60 lakh. To further give a push to local artisans, a company for promoting Bastar’s art, the Bastar Hastshilp Producer Company Limited, has been formed. Artisans will act as its board of directors.

---

*All photographs by the author

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram* April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

Catholic union opposes FCRA amendments, warns of threat to Church institutions

By A Representative The All India Catholic Union (AICU) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as growing threats to religious freedom, minority rights, and constitutional safeguards in India, warning that recent policy and legislative trends could undermine the country’s secular and federal framework.

Counterview

Search This Blog