Renowned Wooden Toy Maker Mangilal Mistri Passes Away

Udaipur - The institution mourns the passing of Mangilal Mistri (80), a celebrated craftsman known for his intricate wooden toy creations, especially traditional Rajasthan-style wooden carts (kavad). 

Dr. Mahendra Bhanavat, the founder of the institution, recalled Mistri's invaluable contributions to Indian folk art. In 1969, Mistri began serving at the Indian Folk Art Institute, where he crafted and showcased traditional Rajasthani wooden art forms like Ganagaur, Eesri, Vevaan, Mukhauta, Chopda, Kavad, and Kathputli (puppetry) in the museum. His expertise in puppetry earned the institution its first-ever international recognition. Post his retirement, Mistri continued to create numerous kavad (wooden carts), many of which are displayed in museums both nationally and internationally.

President Dr. S.S. Sarangdevot hailed Mistri as a skilled artisan whose wooden creations, ranging from one foot to five feet, added to Rajasthan's cultural heritage. His largest kavad is showcased at the Western Regional Cultural Center in Udaipur.

Secretary Dr. Tuktak Bhanavat noted that during property events, eminent personalities like Jaya Bachchan, Laxmi Mall Singhvi, Prabhakar Machwe, Jagdishchandra Mathur, Kapila Vatsyayan, and Bal Kavi Bairagi were presented with kavads as tokens of appreciation. The institution, during its remembrance, witnessed the presence and heartfelt tributes of members, including Dr. Dev Kothari, Dr. Krishna Jugnu, Kishan Dadhich, Dr. Kahani Bhanavat, Jitendra Mehta, Rajendra Virani, Shoorveer Singh Bhanavat, and Rajendra Paliwal.