Birds and animals make a constant appearance in his paintings, either alone or in human company. Besides nature, the flute is a recurring motif in his works. Bawa learnt to play the flute from maestro Pannalal Ghosh. He has painted Ranjha, the cowherd from the tragic love ballad Heer Ranjha, playing the flute. He has painted Krishna with a flute, surrounded by dogs and not by cows as mythological paintings depict him. Besides these, figures of Kali and Shiva dominate Bawa's canvases; "they are the icons of my country," he feels. If Bawa is known for his vibrant paintings, he is also known for his love of spirituality, and particularly of Sufi philosophy. "I find a wealth of wisdom in the scriptures. Sufi philosophy has taught me that man and man, man and animals, can co-exist," he says. The painter has been surrounded by controversies in his life as an artist, the most recent one being accused of forgery by his assistant. For Bawa, drawing is his first love. "I enjoy doing it, for it isn't decorative and loud. One can use minimum essentials to extract the maximum effect," says the artist. "I was inspired to return to drawing after seeing Michelangelo's sketches and drawings at an exhibition in Amsterdam, where I had gone for one of my shows. The idea stuck in my mind. I don't work on demand, but follow my heart and mind, for I feel everything has a time and a place." Personal life Manjit Bawa lived in Delhi. his wife's name was Sharda Bawa. Manjit Bawa's son's name is Ravi Bawa and his daughter's name is Bhavana Bawa. He died on 29 December 2008, aged 67. He was in a coma for three years after suffering a stroke. Awards and honours 2002 ‘Meeting Manjit’, film on Manjit Bawa directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta, received the National Award for Best Documentary 1986 1st Bharat Bhawan Biennale, Bhopal 1981 All India Exhibition of Prints and Drawings, Chandigarh 1980 National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi 1963 Sailoz Prize, New Delhi References Further reading Ina Puri, In Black & White: The Authorized Biography of Manjit Bawa, Not Avail (2006), External links Manjit Bawa Artworks and Public Auction Prices and Economic Data "Manjit Bawa Profile, Interview, and Artworks" "People like Bal Thackeray cannot judge art" (interview), The Tribune, 13 June 1999 Indian Contemporary Art Blogs India Virtual Museum [ 1941