'We Did Not Leave The Mountains': Pandavaas' Emotional Appeal To CM Dhami Over 20-Month Payment Delay

Uttarakhand folk-fusion band Pandavaas has appealed to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami over payments it says have remained pending for work linked to 38th National Games in 2025. The band composed the Games theme song, but has not received payment.

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Pandavaas seeks CM Dhami's intervention over pending National Games payment

For a state, which has witnessed significant out-migration from its hill villages, stories of young people choosing to build their careers while staying connected to Uttarakhand carry a particular significance.

One such example is Pandavaas, the Uttarakhand-based folk-fusion band that has spent years taking the state's music, stories and cultural traditions to wider audiences.

Now, the band has made a public appeal to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, saying its payment for work carried out around the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand remains pending nearly two years later.

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In a letter addressed to CM Dhami, Pandavaas said it composed the National Games theme song, performed at several events during the Mashal Yatra (Torch Relay) and was also part of the inaugural ceremony. The band said it undertook the work with the aim of presenting Uttarakhand's culture and identity to audiences from across India.

According to the band, bills for work carried out in December 2024 and January 2025 remained unpaid as of September 2026.

Pandavaas says repeated complaints brought no solution

In its appeal, Pandavaas said it had approached several official channels to resolve the payment issue.

The band said its first complaint through the CM Helpline was closed without the matter being resolved. It said a subsequent complaint also remained pending.

Pandavaas further said it approached the Sports Department, the Sports Minister, concerned officials and the helpline desk at the Chief Minister's residence, but had not received a concrete resolution.

The band said it was earlier told that funds or budget were unavailable and that it should cooperate. According to the letter, it accepted the situation and completed its responsibilities, expecting the payment issue to be resolved later.

It says phone calls are no longer being answered and messages have not received a response.

“If payments for other artists and vendors have already been cleared, why is Pandavaas's payment still pending?” the band asked in its letter.

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'We did not leave the mountains'

The emotional core of the band's appeal is its argument that it has continued to live and work in Uttarakhand while building a career around the state's folk culture.

'We did not leave the mountains', Pandavaas said, adding that its members continue to work for folk culture, art and their homeland.

The band said taking the matter to social media was not its preferred choice, but had become necessary after it claimed that repeated approaches through official channels had failed to produce a solution.

It has now appealed directly to CM Dhami to take cognisance of the matter and issue instructions to the department concerned.

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About Pandavaas

Pandavaas is an Uttarakhand-based music band formed in 2008. The group says it was created by young artists inspired by the richness of Uttarakhand's folk music and art, while also drawing from their exposure to world music. Its stated aim has been to revive, preserve and present the state's folk traditions through contemporary musical arrangements.

Over the years, Pandavaas has worked with traditional compositions and folk narratives, including projects such as Maangal, Ranchana and Dhunyaal. Its performances combine regional instruments, folk voices and modern arrangements.

The band also keeps performing live concerts beyond Uttarakhand - in different parts of the country. In their recent performances, in July 2026, Pandavaas performed at Lok Samvardhan Parv in Dehradun, where the Press Information Bureau described the performance as a folk-fusion presentation celebrating Uttarakhand's folklore and cultural identity. In August, they performed live concert for NAAD 2026 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.

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In September 2026, the band performed at the Uttarakhand Folk Festival in Delhi, bringing its folk-fusion sound to audiences outside the state.

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Pandavaas and the 38th National Games

Pandavaas was closely involved with Uttarakhand's 38th National Games in 2025.

The band created “Halla Dhoom Dhadakka”, the Games theme song. Its official release credits Sushant Bhatt for lyrics and composition, with additional lyrics by Prem Mohan Dobhal and Deepak Mehta, and vocals by Shiwani Bhagwat, Ishaan Dobhal and Sushant Bhatt.

The song was designed around sport, youth and the spirit of the Games while incorporating Uttarakhand's cultural identity. Reports at the time said the band also performed during the Torch Relay, including at the welcome programme for the torch in Gopeshwar.

The band was also part of the National Games opening celebrations, where its performance highlighted Uttarakhand's culture and heritage.

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'We only want fair payment'

Pandavaas has framed its appeal as a request for payment for work already completed, rather than a demand for special treatment.

In its letter, the band said it had fulfilled its responsibilities despite earlier requests to cooperate over the reported lack of funds.

It has now asked the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure what it describes as a “fair and prompt resolution” of the pending payment.

For Pandavaas, the issue is about more than an unpaid bill. The band says it chose to stay rooted in Uttarakhand while building a career around the state's culture, and it now wants the administration to recognise and resolve what it says is a long-pending obligation.

Uttarakhand's long migration story

The band's appeal comes against the backdrop of Uttarakhand's long-running migration challenge, particularly in its hill regions.

A 2018 report by the Uttarakhand Rural Development and Migration Commission found that 3,83,726 people had migrated from 6,338 gram panchayats over the previous 10 years. About half were reported to have moved in search of employment, while education and healthcare were among other reasons. The report also found that 1,18,981 people had permanently migrated.

The report said 734 villages had become completely depopulated since the 2011 Census, while 565 other revenue villages had seen their population fall by at least half. At the same time, migration was not always from Uttarakhand to another state. Around 70% of those who moved had relocated elsewhere within Uttarakhand.

That distinction matters when discussing young Uttarakhandis who choose to remain in the hills or continue building careers around the state's identity.