Chandaini is a folk ballad performed in parts of
Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh. This ballad is based on the love between two legendary characters, Lorik and Chanda.
Chanda was a princess married to an impotent man. She fell in love with a married person named Lorik. Their subsequent elopement and the adventures the face form the episodes of the Chandaini.
The original version of this play did not contain any instrumental music. With the progress of time, traditional instruments like
the harmonium and the tabla have been included to provide the background music. Expert performers of this folk play claim that it takes 18 evening performances, each ranging for 3 to 4 hours, to present the story in its completeness.
