Gafruddin Mewati Jogi: From a childhood spent begging for flour to receiving Padma Shri Award
Alwar: There was a time in his life when, as a child, he would go from house to house with his father, singing devotional songs of Lord Shiva and couplets about the gods of the Mahabharata era, begging for flour to feed themselves.
Gafruddin of Alwar, Rajasthan, has achieved his current status through a life of hardship, starting from a life of begging for flour. When Gaffaruddin's name from Alwar was announced for the Padma Shri Award by the Government of India on Sunday, a wave of joy spread among the folk artists of Alwar.
Has performed in nearly 60 countries
Gaffaruddin Mewati Jogi, who has popularized the great musical instrument Bhapang of Mewat in Alwar and given it international recognition, has performed in nearly 60 countries.Gaffaruddin Mewati came to Alwar in 1978. He is originally from Bharatpur district, which is currently in Deeg district.
Never even dreamed that he would be honored with the Padma Shri
Gafruddin never even dreamed that he would be honored with the Padma Shri Award, although he has received several awards for his art at the district, Rajasthan, and central levels, including from the Prime Minister and the President. He was also awarded by the Kala Akademi, but the announcement of the Padma Shri Award was the most joyous experience.
He said that it was only after the Modi government came to power that he learned that there was such an award as the Padma Shri, because artists like him had never received such awards before, so he was unaware of it. He said that when the Prime Minister gave him the award, many Bollywood actors were also present.
Devotional songs of Lord Shiva led him to the Padma Shri Award
He has been playing the Bhapang, a musical instrument made from Lord Shiva's damru (drum), according to his ancestral tradition. It is the worship and devotional songs of Lord Shiva that have led him to the Padma Shri Award. His son, Shahrukh Mewati Jogi, is also the eighth generation to play the Bhapang.
Mahabharata is sung and played with the Bhapang instrument
Gafruddin's son Shahrukh Khan Mewati Jogi and his younger children also play the Bhapang. Shahrukh has a PhD in Mewat culture. The Mahabharata is sung and played with the Bhapang instrument in the Mewat region.
The entire episode of the Pandavas' arrival in the Viratnagar area of Alwar during their exile has also been included in the Mahabharata and is sung in the form of the Pandava Kade. Gaffaruddin has also presented folk couplets and folk songs in the Braj and Mewati styles on stages in India and abroad, receiving considerable international acclaim.
Performed at several major events
Gafruddin has received awards from the Government of Rajasthan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. Besides this, they have performed their Bhapang music in more than 60 countries, including England, Australia, Canada, Paris, and Dubai. They have also performed at several major events, including one attended by Queen Elizabeth in London.
Greatest achievement
He said that receiving the Padma Shri feels like a laborer going to work in the morning and receiving his wages in the evening – the same feeling of joy. He has been honored many times, but receiving the Padma Shri award is his greatest achievement.
Until 2016, Gafruddin Mewati didn't know about the Padma Shri. When he learned about it, he applied. He had been applying continuously for the past three years. He was overjoyed when he received a phone call from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi informing him about the award.
Was four years old when he started playing Bhapang with his father
He said, "I was four years old when I started playing the Bhapang with my father. There wasn't a single street or house in Alwar city where we didn't go to collect flour from every household. In the evening, bread was made from this flour, and that's how we made a living. There was no other means of livelihood."
Mostly sings couplets from the Mahabharata
Regarding the Bhapang, he said that they mostly sing couplets from the Mahabharata. Besides this, they also sing and play the verses or couplets of Bhartrihari; it's a unique style of playing.
Now 68 years old, Gafruddin Mewati lives in Tiger Colony in Alwar. It's a simple house, but now it has become the home of a popular personality. Since the award was announced in the media, there has been a constant stream of people visiting his home to congratulate him. Even Sanjay Sharma, a minister in the Rajasthan government and the MLA from Alwar city, congratulated him.