NEWS – The Madhya Pradesh government has honored city-based artist Raghupathi Bhat with the Kalidas Samman award for 2023.  Bhat is recognized for his significant contributions to the field of painting, particularly in reviving the traditional Ganjifa miniature painting.

HIGHLIGHTS

Award Details

• Cash Prize: The award includes a cash prize of ₹5 lakh and a citation.
• Ceremony Date: The award will be conferred at a function in Ujjain on November 12.

Characteristics of Ganjifa Cards

• Artistic Tradition: Ganjifa cards are traditionally hand-painted, primarily in circular shapes, although some rectangular decks exist.
• Historical Popularity: This game was widely played across Medieval India, with distinct forms in various regions:
  • Sawantwadi Ganjifa (Maharashtra)
  • Navadurga Ganjifa (Odisha)
  • Ganjifa styles from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kashmir, Nepal, and the Mysooru Ganjifa favored by the Mysore royal family.

Background of Raghupathi Bhat

• Origin: Originally from Udupi District, Karnataka, Bhatta showed a keen interest in painting and ancient Indian art from an early age.
• Revival Efforts: His passion for traditional art fueled his efforts to restore and popularize Ganjifa miniature paintings.

Historical Context of Mysooru Ganjifa

• Royal Patronage: The Mysooru Ganjifa was extensively supported by the Wodeyar Kings, focusing on education and storytelling through games.
• Cultural Significance: Each of the 18 games in the Mysooru Ganjifa style was based on Hindu scriptures, including:
  • Dashavatara Ganjifa: A series featuring the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, consisting of 120 playing cards.

THE KALIDAS SAMMAN 

• Arts award presented annually by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in India
• First awarded in 1980
• From 1986-87 to 2008-09, the awards were presented in  four fields in most years, thereafter reverting to one person per year