HYDERABAD: Kathak legend Pandit Birju Maharaj touched his shishyas’ lives beyond just dance. The legend, who left the world of classical dance grieving, was a teacher who inspired many with his zeal toward art forms like Kathak, music, painting and many others.
On the occasion of his 84th birth anniversary on Friday, one of his disciples — renowned Kathak dancer and principal of Government College of Music and Dance, Hyderabad, Raghav Raj Bhatt — organised a memorial as a tribute to his guru.
Bhatt, who counts himself fortunate to have been a student of Maharaj, says, “While there are several students and followers of the guruji, nobody in South India had the opportunity to work with him as closely as I have been blessed to.
This guru, whom I call mine, is a legend to people across the globe. I am blessed and proud to call myself his disciple, I look up to him in every aspect of my life. So, when I visited Delhi to pay my last respects, I decided to organise a Shradhanjali (homage) for him in Hyderabad. I decided to do it on his birth anniversary — there’s no perfect day to celebrate his contribution to art.”
The event was held at the Government College of Music and Dance in Hyderabad. “I chose to do it here and nowhere else because this is one of the oldest colleges in the city. Kathak was one of the first subjects to be taught here and Maharaj ji’s uncle Pandit Ramakirishna Shukla ji taught the artform here. Maharaj ji visited this college thrice for the same sentiment and so, we knew there was no better place to do it than here,” Bhatt says.
Some of the guests at the memorial included Mamidi Hari Krishna, director of Language and Culture at the college; Alekya Punjala, Kuchipudi dancer; and Mangala Bhatt, a prominent Kathak dancer. “All of us had a tough yet wonderful time recalling memories of the legendary dancer. Many spoke about how guru ji was specifically loved for his unique choreography for several films. Truly, great people never die, their legacy and art will continue to reign forever.”
Forty two years of relationship with Maharaj has left a huge impact on Bhatt. “If a person cannot humble himself, he cannot be an artiste. All these certificates and degrees can be acquired by anyone, but it’s practice that makes a person a true artiste. Maharaj ji embodied all this and more. We will soon be coming up with festivals in his name,” Bhatt tells CE.