Wages of a Lifetime: Ghafruddin Jogi and the Soul of Mewat
My joy is like that of a labourer who receives his wages the same evening,” says Ghafruddin Jogi Mewati, now a Padma Shri awardee. At 68, the folk artist from Alwar isn’t celebrating fame—he’s acknowledging a lifetime of struggle. From wandering barefoot across Mewat with a bhapang in hand to standing recognised by the nation, this honour feels like long-overdue payment for keeping a dying art alive.
Born in Rajasthan’s Kaithwara village, Ghafruddin picked up the bhapang at just four, learning the rhythms from his father, Budh Singh Jogi. A Muslim artist singing the Mahabharata in the Mewati dialect, his music reflects India at its most honest—where stories, faiths, and identities flow into each other without fear. His performances remind us that culture has never needed permission to cross borders.
From village squares to stages in over 60 countries, Ghafruddin carried Mewat’s sound to the world. Today, the eighth generation of his family continues this legacy. Calling the Padma Shri a beginning, not a finish line, he dreams of opening a folk arts school—so the next generation stays rooted, remembers its language, and knows where it comes from. Source:- Awaz–The Voice
