President Droupadi Murmu will visit Chhattisgarh from October 22 to 23 to attend Nuakhai festivities in the state capital and programmes connected with Bastar Dussehra in Jagdalpur, the President's Secretariat said in an official statement on Wednesday.
Programme and key engagements
According to the statement, the President will release a commemorative coin at Lok Bhavan, Raipur on October 22 in honour of Pujya Mata Hasi Devi Ji. On the same day she is scheduled to participate in the Seva Samman Parv and the Yuva Prabodhan events marking Nuakhai at the Indoor Stadium in Raipur.
On October 23, President Murmu will travel to Jagdalpur where she will attend the Muriya Darbar — described by officials as a traditional tribal assembly or 'Aadim Jan Sansad' — and grace a public programme organised as part of the Bastar Dussehra celebrations.
| Day | Date | Location | Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | October 22 | Raipur (Lok Bhavan, Indoor Stadium) | Release of commemorative coin; Seva Samman Parv; Yuva Prabodhan |
| Day 2 | October 23 | Jagdalpur | Muriya Darbar; Bastar Dussehra public programme |
Arrivals and local protocol
The President's arrival into Raipur is expected at Swami Vivekananda Airport, where state officials traditionally receive the head of state. The Raipur and Bastar events are public in nature and authorities have indicated arrangements will be made to manage movement and security in both districts during the two-day visit.
- Release of commemorative coin for Pujya Mata Hasi Devi Ji at Lok Bhavan, Raipur.
- Participation in Nuakhai-related programmes — Seva Samman Parv and Yuva Prabodhan — at the Indoor Stadium, Raipur.
- Attendance at Muriya Darbar and Bastar Dussehra public programme in Jagdalpur.
President's emphasis on traditional artists
Earlier this week in Delhi, President Murmu highlighted the need for enhanced training, financial autonomy and expanded opportunities for artists practising traditional forms, particularly those living in remote rural areas. She named art forms such as Sohrai, Madhubani and Gond painting while underlining the difficulties communities face in accessing institutions and markets.
“While Sohrai painting is now globally recognised, the communities themselves remain rooted in their original, remote settings,” the President said, adding that traditional art forms need a bit of "extra seasoning" through further training to compete in larger marketplaces.
The President's remarks came at the award ceremony of the 65th National Exhibition of Art in Delhi. By linking cultural promotion to training and financial autonomy, the statement signals attention to both heritage preservation and livelihood support for artisans.
Local significance and likely impact
Nuakhai is an agrarian harvest festival observed in parts of central India and draws large crowds in Raipur, while Bastar Dussehra in Jagdalpur is a major tribal festival with deep cultural and religious significance in southern Chhattisgarh. A presidential visit to these events is likely to boost visibility for the festivals and may focus national attention on issues raised by the President, including support for traditional artists.
Officials are expected to coordinate logistics across departments for the two-day schedule. Security measures and traffic diversions are common during such high-profile visits, especially where mass gatherings are involved.
Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai are listed among dignitaries who customarily receive visiting heads of state; their precise roles during the schedule will be as per the protocol announced by the state government.
The President's two-day itinerary underlines the Centre's engagement in regional cultural affairs and highlights policy themes—skills, market access and financial autonomy for artisans—that are likely to be taken up by local cultural institutions and development agencies in the coming weeks.
