Gafruddin Mewati Jogi

Shri Gafruddin Mewati Jogi was born in Kaman, Rajasthan, and is based in Alwar district. He belongs to the Mewati Jogi community, a traditional group of hereditary folk performers whose repertoire includes epic narration, devotional singing, and instrumental performance. His primary instrument is the Bhapang, a single-string percussion instrument made from a gourd and gut string, often described as a “talking drum” and associated in form with the damru of Shiva.

He received his training from his father and guru, Shri Buddha Singh Jogi, through oral transmission and long-term immersion in community performance practices. From childhood, he learned the musical, narrative, and rhythmic techniques required for epic storytelling. Central to his repertoire is Pandun ka Kada, a traditional Mewati folk epic that recounts episodes from the Mahabharata in verse and song. Shri Gafruddin Mewati Jogi is regarded as the only surviving artist who retains the full body of this tradition, comprising more than 2,500 couplets, memorized and rendered in performance.

His performances integrate Bhapang rhythms with sung and spoken narration, combining music, poetry, and dramatic delivery. In addition to Pandun ka Kada, his repertoire includes folk narratives from the Ramayana, episodes from Shri Krishna Leela, devotional bhajans, and Brij-Mewati folk compositions. These performances are rooted in community contexts such as fairs, religious gatherings, and seasonal events, while also adapting to modern cultural platforms.

Over the course of his career, he has performed on national and international stages, including presentations in cities such as London and Paris, introducing Mewati folk traditions to audiences beyond their regional setting. Parallel to performance, he has trained members of his own family, including his son and grandsons, ensuring continuity of the tradition into the next generation.

His work has been recognized by cultural institutions at the state and national levels. In addition to the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and honors from the Government of Rajasthan, he was conferred the Padma Shri in 2026 by the Government of India for his lifelong contribution to Indian folk music and the preservation of the Mewati Jogi narrative tradition.