When the President of India pauses to salute a centuries-old tribal ritual, the moment carries weight far beyond ceremony. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai shared a message from President Draupadi Murmu on Friday, October 23, 2026, quoting her admiration for the collective rituals of Bastar Dussehra 2026 — one of India's most distinctive and ancient tribal festivals.

In the quoted message, President Murmu expressed: 'सामूहिक अनुष्ठानों को पीढ़ियों से उसी उत्साह के साथ करते रहने की आपकी सांस्कृतिक परंपरा का मैं अभिनंदन करती हूँ' — translated as, 'I salute your cultural tradition of performing collective rituals across generations with the same enthusiasm.' She called Bastar's heritage 'extremely sacred and inclusive', adding that there is 'much to learn' from it.

Bastar Dussehra: Not the Dussehra You Know

Bastar Dussehra, celebrated in southern Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, bears almost no resemblance to the mainstream Hindu festival of the same name. Rooted in the rituals of the Muria and other tribal communities, it spans several weeks and centres on collective worship, community gatherings, and the Muria Darbar — a traditional assembly where tribal representatives convene in a living expression of participatory governance and cultural continuity. The festival is documented as part of Chhattisgarh's formal cultural heritage.

What sets it apart is precisely what President Murmu praised: its samuhik anushthan — collective rituals performed generation after generation without dilution, a rare feat in a rapidly urbanising country.

Why President Murmu's Voice Carries Particular Resonance

President Draupadi Murmu is herself a member of the Santali tribal community, making her the first person from an indigenous background to hold India's highest constitutional office. When she speaks of learning from tribal traditions, it is neither diplomatic courtesy nor political optics — it is lived affinity. Her public engagement with indigenous cultural practices has been a consistent thread since she assumed office, and this message to the Bastar community deepens that thread.

CM Sai, who shared the message via @rashtrapatibhvn, is himself part of the Oraon tribal community and leads a state where tribal populations form a significant demographic bloc. His choice to amplify the presidential tribute aligns with the Chhattisgarh government's ongoing efforts to place tribal cultural identity at the centre of state messaging.

A Constitutional Endorsement of Regional Diversity

India's national leaders periodically spotlight tribal festivals — but a direct presidential commendation, shared by the sitting Chief Minister at the height of the festival season, is a moment of layered significance. It signals institutional recognition that indigenous ritual traditions are not folklorique footnotes but living, civic-grade heritage. The Muria Darbar segment, in particular, embodies a form of participatory assembly that predates modern democratic structures.

For the tribal communities of Bastar, the message from India's first tribal President — amplified by their own Chief Minister — is an affirmation that their centuries of continuity have been seen, named, and honoured at the republic's highest level.

Bastar Dussehra 2026 is underway. The Muria Darbar gathers. And from Raisina Hill, the President watches — and learns.