Imagine thousands cheering to blast beats and guitar riffs—not in Mumbai, Delhi, or Bengaluru, but in rugged Bastar, Chhattisgarh. This unlikely scene first came to life in 2022, when Mumbai-based alternative rock band Daira was touring the state, stopping at Raipur and Bilaspur where they already had a collegian fanbase. It was then that IAS officer Rajat Bansal, then-collector of Bastar, stumbled upon this five-piece band and invited them to hold the district’s first-ever rock concert and facilitate a workshop with local folk musicians.

The band fuses elements of alternative rock blended with a desi sense of humour. The band has pioneered “Awadhi Rock”, emulating sounds from the Awadh mainland region through powerful vocals, riffs, groovy bass lines.