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From Guru Vandana to Ruksar-ki-gat: A fitting tribute to late kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj's enduring legacy
Ahead of Pandit Birju Maharaj's birth anniversary, a musical celebration was held at his ancestral home, Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi and Kathak Museum in Lucknow.
Ahead of the birth anniversary (February 4) of the late Kathak maestro and Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj, a musical celebration was held at his ancestral home, Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi and Kathak Museum in Wazirganj.
On this occasion, the book Kathak Divya Darshan, penned by Renu Sharma, was released in the presence of writer Vidya Vindu Singh, writer and Alpika founder Uma Trigunayat and others before Pandit Birju Maharaj’s statue.
The event commenced with Guru Vandana by Pandit Anuj Mishra and his institute students, aged 5 to 12 years. This was followed by a performance in teen taal in vilambit and madhya laya, with Anuj providing the padhant (vocal recitation).
“My father, the late Pandit Arjun Mishra, was his senior student, so I recited Dada Maharaj’s and my father’s compositions. Maharajji is known in baav pakash, so with my wife Neha Mishra Sengar, we performed the bhajan Baje Baje Ek Mandalam, Samast Paap Khandanam, which emphasised mudras and facial expression,” he says.
Thereafter, his senior students presented Taal Pancham Sawari on compositions by Anuj, which he interpreted from Birju Maharaj and his father’s works.
He concluded with the Gati presentation and Maharajji’s compositions that were inspired by nature. “Dada Maharaj used to perform a tiger’s leap, cow-deer-tiger expressions, horse galloping, mayur dance, and create the sound of one ghungroo from a 100-piece set through foot movement. We performed it in Ruksar-ki-gat, a tradition since the Nawabi era.”
Senior students performing were Vivek Verma, Shivendra Singh, Maitri Chauhan, Piyush Pandey, Prerna Vishwakarma, Vanshika Sharma, Shubh Sinha, and Harshali. Junior students included Yashasvi Mishra, Ashi Srivastava, Arohi Raj, Angel Yadav, and Yukti Yadav.
Kathak guru Surabhi Singh’s student Isha-Meesha Ratan and Akanksha Pandey; guru Ruchi Khare's students Vaibhavi Singh and Runjhun Singh; guru Anita Bhargava, guru Purnima Pandey's student Vallari Narain Pathak; guru Renu Sharma's students Raju Kumar, guru Kumkum Dhar's student Harshita Mishra also gave musical tributes to the maestro.
Kathak exponent and Pandit Birju Maharaj's disciple Renu Sharma presented the final performance of the tribute evening.
The event was organised by Alpika and Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi and Kathak Museum.
