President Droupadi Murmu hosted a 209-member Bastar delegation at Rashtrapati Bhavan, praising the region's tribal heritage and expressing a desire to attend Bastar Dussehra.President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday hosted a 209-member delegation from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where she interacted with tribal community leaders, artists and winners of the Bastar Pandum festival, and expressed her desire to attend Bastar Dussehra and the cultural festival in the future.The delegation, led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, included winners of Bastar Pandum 2026, representatives of Bastar’s traditional tribal leadership system, including Pargana Majhis, Majhis and Chalkis, Padma Shri awardees, public representatives, artists and senior government officials.During the interaction, Murmu sought details about Bastar’s tribal traditions, folk arts, the Majhi-Chalki system and the Bastar Pandum festival. She said Bastar’s tribal heritage was an “invaluable national treasure” whose preservation was a collective responsibility.Responding to Sai’s invitation to visit Bastar, the President said she wished to participate in Bastar Dussehra and Bastar Pandum in the future. Recalling her association with tribal traditions, she said her father had served as a Majhi and described the traditional leadership system as an important institution for preserving social harmony and cultural values.Murmu said Bastar Pandum had helped bring the region’s tribal traditions and folk arts to wider national and international attention. Such cultural initiatives, she said, encouraged younger generations to remain connected with their roots while promoting tourism and local livelihoods.Referring to development in the region, the President said Bastar was progressing on the path of peace and development, citing improvements in education, road connectivity, electricity and drinking water. She also acknowledged the role played by Majhis and Chalkis in maintaining links between local communities and the administration.Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was present on the occasion, said he had visited Rashtrapati Bhavan several times but had never before seen such a large gathering of representatives from Bastar in traditional tribal attire. He described the event as a celebration of India’s tribal heritage.Story continues below this adCalling the event a proud moment for the state, Sai said initiatives such as Bastar Pandum had helped showcase Chhattisgarh’s tribal culture at the national level and created greater opportunities for local artists and folk traditions. He invited the President to visit Bastar, saying her presence would further strengthen recognition of the region’s cultural heritage.The delegation also toured Rashtrapati Bhavan.During the programme, Sai presented the President with an artwork based on Jhitku-Mitki, a folk legend from Bastar believed to be around 300 years old. According to local tradition, the legend symbolises love, sacrifice and social harmony, and the two figures are revered in parts of the Bastar region as Khodiya Raja and Gappa Dei.