In Chhattisgarh, Vijayadashami is never just a national festival — it is personal. The Chief Minister's Office of Chhattisgarh marked Dussehra 2026 by invoking the state's deep, living bond with Lord Shri Ram, reminding residents that their beloved Bhaacha Ram — Ram, the nephew — walked this very land during his years of exile.

The post, shared on the occasion of Vijayadashami, captured the sentiment in clear terms: 'Chhattisgarh mein Vijayadashami ka parv vishesh aastha aur aatmiyata ka prateek hai, kyunki Prabhu Shri Ram hamare Bhaancha Ram hain' — 'The festival of Vijayadashami in Chhattisgarh is a symbol of special faith and affection, because Lord Shri Ram is our Bhaacha Ram.' It added that a significant portion of his exile period was spent on this sacred land, and that the folk traditions, beliefs, and stories linked to him remain alive in the hearts of the people to this day. The message was posted in the context of the Dussehra Mahotsav at Rainibhatha, district Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, and was tagged to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.

Why 'Bhaacha Ram' Runs So Deep in Chhattisgarh

The term Bhaancha — meaning maternal nephew in the regional Chhattisgarhi dialect — is not merely affectionate. It reflects a cultural genealogy that locals trace through the Ramayana: Kaushalya, Ram's mother, is claimed as a daughter of the ancient Kosala region that overlaps with modern Chhattisgarh, making Ram, in local tradition, the son of this land. That connection has anchored the state's cultural identity for generations, surfacing in folk songs, tribal narratives, and seasonal rituals long before it became a policy talking point.

The state government under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who assumed office in December 2023, has actively promoted Chhattisgarh's Ramayana-linked sites as part of cultural tourism circuits — Champaran, Shivrinarayan, Turturiya among others — tying regional pride to a broader heritage narrative. Dussehra messages of this kind reinforce that identity at the grassroots, reaching every household on a day already charged with faith.

Sarangarh-Bilaigarh: A District, A Festival

The specific mention of Rainibhatha in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district points to the state's deliberate practice of spotlighting district-level celebrations, giving local festivals visibility alongside the state's own grand Dussehra events. Sarangarh-Bilaigarh is a relatively young district carved out of Raigarh, and its Dussehra festival carries the weight of both regional devotion and community identity. Such acknowledgements from the Chief Minister's Office carry symbolic weight for smaller communities that rarely see their celebrations named in official communications.

Across Chhattisgarh's 33 districts, Dussehra is not a single event but a constellation of local mahotsavs, each with its own folklore and staging — a pattern that the state government has consistently encouraged to project cultural pluralism within a unified Ramayana heritage.

As the effigies fall and lamps are lit across Chhattisgarh tonight, the message from the state's highest office is unmistakable: this is not just Ram's victory — it is Chhattisgarh's homecoming.