Renowned Folk Art Scholar Dr. Mahendra Bhanawat Passes Away

Udaipur – Dr. Mahendra Bhanawat, a distinguished folk art scholar and former director of Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, Udaipur, passed away on Tuesday in Udaipur. The 87-year-old had been unwell for several days.

Born on November 13, 1937, in Kanod, Udaipur, Dr. Bhanawat’s final journey will commence on Wednesday from his residence at Archie Arcade Complex, New Bhupalpura, Udaipur, at 9:30 AM, proceeding towards Mokshdham in Ashok Nagar. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Tuktak Bhanawat and Ranjana Bhanawat; daughters, Dr. Kavita Mehta and Dr. Kahani Bhanawat; and grandchildren, Shabdank and Arthank.

A Glance at Dr. Bhanawat’s Life

Dr. Bhanawat completed his M.A. in Hindi from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, and earned his Ph.D. in 1968 on the topic "Rajasthani Folk Theatre Tradition in Mewar – Gavri Natya and Its Literature." Gavri is a vibrant dance-drama performed by the Bhil tribal community during the Bhadrapada month. Remarkably, he was among the first five students awarded a Ph.D. at the university’s inaugural convocation in 1967.

His book "Nirbhay Meera" provided unique insights into the life of Meera Bai that had previously gone unnoticed. He authored over 10,000 literary works in Hindi and Rajasthani and published more than 12 books on tribal life and culture.

Illustrious Career

Dr. Bhanawat served as a research assistant at Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, Udaipur, from 1958-62, later rising to the position of Director. His first book was "Rajasthan Swar Lahari – Part One." Over his career, he wrote more than 100 books and mentored several Ph.D. scholars. Since 2003, he had been recognized as an independent journalist by the Rajasthan government.

Prestigious Honors and Awards

Dr. Bhanawat was the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including:

Vishisht Sahityakar Samman by Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi

Lok Bhushan Award by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan, Lucknow

Marwar Ratna Komal Kothari Award by the former Maharaja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh

Kala Samay Lok Shikhar Samman by Bhopal's Kala Samay Committee

Dr. Komal Kothari Lok Kala Award (₹2.25 lakh) by the West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur

Kanhaiyalal Sethia Award (₹51,000) by Vichar Manch, Kolkata

Pandit Ramnaresh Tripathi Award by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan for books Rajasthan ke Thape, Mehndi Raachni, and Ajooba Rajasthan

Maharana Sajjan Singh Award by Maharana Mewar Foundation for his work on Indian folk literature

Bhanwarlal Karnawat Foundation Honor in Bhilwara under the guidance of Acharya Mahashraman

Academic and Cultural Contributions

Dr. Bhanawat actively contributed to textbook writing in Hindi and Rajasthani for SIERT, Udaipur, and participated in workshops organized by NCERT, New Delhi. He also engaged in workshops at the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, leaving a lasting impact on folk literature and performing arts.