Alwar, January 26 (IANS). The announcement of honoring the famous Bhapang maestro Gafaruddin Mewati Jogi, a resident of Alwar, Rajasthan, with the Padma Shri award has brought a wave of happiness in the family and the local community. With the announcement of Padma Awards by the Government of India on the eve of Republic Day, a series of congratulations started at his house, which continued till late night.
Ghafaruddin Mewati Jogi is originally from Kaithwada village of Bharatpur district (presently Deeg district). He settled in Alwar in 1978. He had never even dreamed that he would be awarded a prestigious honor like Padmashree. For his art, he has received many awards from the Prime Minister, President, Rajasthan Government, Sangeet Natak Akademi and district level, but the announcement of Padmashree is the biggest pleasant experience.
Speaking to IANS, he said, “It was only after the Modi government came to power that we came to know that Padmashree is an award. Earlier, artists like us did not get such an honour.”
Gafaruddin Mewati has been playing the ancestral musical instrument ‘Bhapang’ inspired by Lord Shiva’s Damru. This musical instrument is known for singing the couplets of Mahabharata period, Bhartrihari Shatak and Vairagya couplets. He is the only living singer of ‘Pandun ka Kada’ (singing Mahabharata in Mewati language). The incident of the Pandavas staying in Viratnagar (Alwar region) during their exile in the Mahabharata is sung with Bhapang.
They have preserved more than 2,800 folk songs and couplets with bhapang, many of which were copied in Bollywood.
His son Dr. Shahrukh Khan Mewati Jogi is playing Bhapang in the eighth generation. Shahrukh has done a PhD on Mewat culture and the younger children of the family are also associated with this art.
Ghafaruddin told that he used to play Bhapang with his father since the age of 4. He used to go from door to door in the streets of Alwar and collect flour, which he used to make bread and earn his living. He said, ‘There was no other means of livelihood.’
His art gained international recognition. After his first foreign trip in 1992, he performed in more than 60 countries including England, Australia, Canada, Paris, Dubai. Also played Bhapang on the birthday of Queen Elizabeth in London. Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated his art and linked it to the cleanliness mission. During the Corona period, the message of cleanliness was given by singing folk songs through Bhapang.
At the time of the announcement, Ghafaruddin was playing the flute at the inauguration of the exhibition on the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Information Center in Alwar. At the same time a call came from the Home Ministry. Initially it seemed like a joke, but with the announcement there was no limit to the joy.
He said, “It is like a laborer. He works as a laborer in the morning and gets his wages in the evening. I am getting the same happiness today. Getting Padma Shri is proving to be like a laborer goes to work in the morning and gets paid for his wages in the evening. The feeling of happiness that comes with this is the same happiness that I am getting today. I have been honored like this many times, but getting the Padma Shri award was the biggest success.”
He told, “I did not know about Padma Shri till 2016 and when I came to know about it, I applied for it. I have been applying continuously for the last three years and today I am beyond happy.”
He told that in his family, his brother and his son are also associated with this art and exhibit this art. Now we also have this expectation from the government that we should be given free land, where we can open a school related to folk arts, where folk arts can be revived, because now the young generation does not know that knowledge nor is it related to that genre.
–IANS
SCH/ABM