The Emperor of Kathak dance

 

On 17th January 2022, the Kathak world underwent a great loss through the demise of the Great Kathak Maestro Birju Maharaj ji, who has been revered with the Second Civilian Award Padma Vibhushan. Though he was ailing with Kidney disease but he passed away due to heart attack. His original name is Brijmohan Mishra, but is well known with the name Birju Maharaj. The followers and disciples addresses him as Maharaj ji. He is initially from Lucknow and then shifted to Delhi. Out of the three traditional Gharanas of Kathak, Lucknow, Jaipur and Benaras, Maharaj ji is the exponent of the famous Lucknow "Kalka Bindadin" Gharana. Maharaj Ji's ancestors were the court dancers of the Lucknow court. His father Achchan Maharaj was an well known court dancer. Even Maharaj ji in his early childhood danced in the King's court. Due to the early demise of his father Maharaja ji learner Kathak mostly from his two uncles Sambhu Maharaj and Lachchu Maharaj (who used to live in Bombay and used to compose dance in Bollywood industry. One of his eminent composition was 'Mohe Panghat Pe' in the film 'Mughal-E-Azam' ). So, from Sambhu Maharaj he learned the Tandav Rasa (or the boldness) and from Lachchu Maharaj he learned the Lasya Rasa (or the Grace and softness). Maharaj claims himself as 'Tridhara' or the mixture of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati i.e. his father and two of his uncles. Maharaj ji regarded his father and the uncles as the Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar. 

     Maharaj ji started his activity of imparting the knowledge of Kathak since the very tender age of thirteen. Initially he was the teacher of Kathak Kendra and  Bhartiya Kala Kendra at Delhi and then finally the teacher and owner of Kalashram. Maharaj ji also taught kathak through several workshops. During February or March Kalashram celebrates a festival of Kathaknamed 'Vasant Utsav' every year.

          Inspite of being a traditional dancer, Maharaj ji never stereotyped his form within the four walls, his contribution in the films was immense, starting from his courtly composition of 'Kanha Main Tose Haari' in the film 'Shatranj Ke Khilari' by Satyajit Ray, where one of Maharaj Ji's senior most and most devoted disciple Saswati Sen danced, to the fusion composition of 'Dil to Pagal Hai' where Madhuri Dixit danced only in the drum beats, and there are several other compositions choreographed by Maharaj ji in the Bollywood films like 'Kahe chere mohe' of 'Devdas' film and 'Mohe Rang do lal' in the film 'Bajirao Mastani' and 'Main Radha' of the film 'Vishwaroop'. He also performed in Television, Doordarshan and many a times we find him performing in his youth with Saswati Sen. One of his most famous productions in India and abroad is Romeo Juliet. This is really a lesson to learn that how only through dance and that through Kathak dance one can portray an entire drama.

           Maharaj ji performed in several prestigious festivals both in India and abroad. His excellence earned India a different prestige from around the globe. Maharaj ji is not only a Kathak dancer he showed his eminence in playing Tabla(the traditional Indian drum), in playing Harmonium and singing, even in playing Sarod. Moreover he wrote poetry. We find many of his poetries that he has turned into kathak 'bols' by putting the rhythm of Kathak in it. One of the most famous among those is, "Sabaji Puri Or Kachori Halwa lade Halwa lade Halwa lade de". This particular, Maharaj ji talks about several dishes, starting from the dishes of Vegetables to the sweet dishes. Kathak is all about story telling and he is the best story teller through the 'bols', of Kathak by his 'bhao'(expression) and foot works. Maharaj ji through his story portrays story like, two friends meeting after a long time, then Jhansi ki Rani Lakshmi Bai in the warfare, then there is a story he often enacts,that is a mother bird feeding the baby birds and so on.  In many thumris(devotional or love song) composed by him we find the name 'Brijshyam' , that is actually his pen name. Maharaj ji's paintings are outstanding too. His creation is like ocean, it's endless.

                 Maharaj ji is having four children, Jaikishan Maharaj, Deepak Maharaj, Anita Maharaj, Kavita Maharaj and Mamta Maharaj. Though initially, female as dancers were prohibited in the Kalka Bindadin Gharana or rather in the particular Mohal (or family) in these days we find Mamta Maharaj being the first female dancer of the Kalka Bindadin Gharana followed by the Grand daughter of Maharaj ji and the daughter of Deepak Maharaj, Ragini Maharaj.

         Passing away of an eminent artist like Maharaj ji is not actually an end. It is just the mundane body that has passed away but he is still living through Kathak and through the process of carrying kathak forward by his descendents and followers and desciples. 

MAHARAJ JI AT PRATISHRUTI FESTIVAL CONDUCTED BY NADAM

                

         Myself as a Kathak dancer is not fortunate enough to learn from Maharaj ji but I was fortunate enough in 2018 when, in the 'Pratishruti' dance festival conducted by Nadam I perform and Maharaj being a part of the festival sung songs. In 2020, January I have got a chance to learn from the eminent first female dancer of the Kalka Bindadin Gharana, Mamta Maharaj.

  

MAMTA MAHARAJ AT NADAM'S WORKSHOP

For those who are unaware of what  Kathak dance is , please check my writing named 'Indianness' by scrolling down this blog.