Among the cultural imports that venues in Mumbai bring down for its discerning audience, folk art forms from the hinterland, especially those that haven't found a place in popular culture, tend to get glossed over. As a result, it's only natural to have heard of Puccini but not Pandvani. The Living Traditions festival by the National Centre for the Performing Arts is a step in the direction of familariasing Mumbaikars with India's folk heritage. Since inception, it has brought cultural traditions of Rajasthan, Assam, Bengal, Goa and Gujarat to the city, and the upcoming edition trains the spotlight on Chhattisgarh.

Curated by Raipur-based writer, lyricist and theatre director Rakesh Tiwari, the two-day showcase will feature six well-known troupes specialising in oral folk traditions, dance forms and theatre. The festival will open with noted artiste Prabha Yadav and her group's presentation of Pandvani, an oral music tradition of Chhattisgarh, where artistes sing tales from the Mahabharata. "Pandvani is sung in two styles. While Prabha ji will sing in the Vedmati format, which is a recital of Ved Vyasa's Mahabharata, the Kapalik style is a narration of folk stories derived from the epic," explains Tiwari, who was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award last month.