Padmashree Teejan Bai

The Girl Who Sold 'Daatun'

A girl in her early teens was seen selling ‘Daatun’ in the village haat (bazaar). She usually accompanied her grandpa (maternal) Brijlal Pardhi who was a Pandwani singer. In those days, no one in the village used to brush his teeth with brush and paste. Sticks of neem and karanj was widely used as a brush as well as mouth wash. Teejan used to collect daatun from in and around her village and accompanied her ‘nana’ to the bazaar. She would get up early and collect cowdung to slap cakes for fuel. But her passion was singing. She wanted with the core of her heart to sing Pandwani like her nanaji.
Nanaji used to hunt rabbits, birds and squirrels for a living. On occasions he would organise his troop and sing Pandvani. Teejan wood hide herself behing the doors to hear him sing. She got the verses by heart. One day her nanaji caught her spying his recital. At first he scolded her but when she chanted the verses with vigour and expressions, tears rolled down his cheeks. He embressed little Teejan and called her a jewel. She started to accompany him and soon she found herself performing. She was loved by the folk and soon became a celebrity of the Art.
At age 13, gave her first public performance in a neighbouring village, Chandrakhuri (Durg) for Rs 10., singing in the Kapalik shaili (style) of 'Pandavani', a first time for a woman, as traditionally women used to sing in the Vedamati, the sitting style.
Her big-break came, when Habib Tanvir, a famous theatre personality from Madhya Pradesh, noticed her talent, and she was called to perform for then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. There was no turning back from then on, in-time she received national and international recognition, a Padma Shri in 1988, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995, and Padma Bhushan in 2003.
Beginning in the 80s, she travelled all over the world as a cultural ambassador, to countries as far as England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Cyprus, Romania and Mauritius. Today she continues to enthralled audiences, the world over with her unique folk singing and her powerful voice.
Teejan has her name tatooed on her arm. This is for her reference while signing cheques. She says, we have too many people who are over educated for the job they are doing. She is happy that she doesnot need to write or read. She has her version of the Mahabharata by heart. This is all that matters.