“see there’s a thing with the arts: A human can ditch (you) but your art will never betray you. If you keep it with you and own it, it will leave you only at the time of your death. Don’t do Kathak in haste. Items will happen, applause will come in too; instead, go steady, let the art mature.”
Pandit Birju Maharaj, nee Brijmohan Nath Mishra born on 4 February 1937, was an Indian classical Kathak dancer, composer, choreographer, percussionist, singer, poet, painter and orator.
Panditji or Maharajji to his legions, was born in Handia, Allahabad district, in a Hindu Brahmin Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, of the iconic Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Lucknow. It included his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Jagannath Maharaj or Acchan Maharaj, a court dancer in the princely State of Raigarh.
Dancing since four, his first performances were at his father’s concerts, before going solo at the age of seven in West Bengal. At nine, his father died and he began training with his uncles. Becoming a dance teacher at the age of 13, at Sangeet Bharati, he went on to teach at the famous Bharatiya Kala Kendra.
Soon, he headed the Kathak Kendra, a unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi. Retiring in 1998 at 60, he opened his dance school, Kalashram, in Delhi. Students were trained in Kathak and other disciplines like vocal and instrumental music, yoga, painting, Sanskrit, dramatics, stagecraft, etc. Virtually an ocean of Kathak; his oeuvre was rare and unmatched. He interpreted it with a simple heart and took it to the world stage, inspiring young dancers.
Grasping the beauty of the katha (the internal story of the composition), he learned the nuanced rhythmic patterns, the precision of footwork and the play of the face and neck from his father; and the bhaav ki taaleem (tutelage of expression), and stylised fluidity of movement from his uncles, and developed a style that blended elements. He shunned commercialisation, but followed the same track devising along new things.
In the 50s and 60s, he explored new a series of group choreographies and dance- dramas bringing in elements of design, costume and choreography, rare in the predominantly solo presentation structure of Kathak. Dance was hitherto accessible to only males. Maharaj broke the mould and provided equal opportunities, without gender bias.
The world of dance was like oxygen, giving him the strength to breathe. Presentation to him was a perfect balance of skilful virtuosity, faultless rhythm and subtle expressive abhinaya. Each nazar (look), each movement had to express something. Emphasising on finesse and the ability to dance at a slow tempo with grace, he insisted that for movement, one needed stillness.
A master story teller, delineating episodes from the Radha-Krishna legend, Maharaj expressed himself on various non-mythological and social issues. With his animated facial expressions and nimble feet movements, his style demystified abstract art into everyday moments.
With a strong grip over Thumri, Dadra, Bhajan and Ghazal forms, he danced to it. A superb percussionist, he believed that a dancer had to have adequate knowledge of music.
Among his awards and honours were the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Vibushan, Kalidas Samman,Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar, Sangam Kala Award, Nritya Vilas Award, Soviet Land Nehru Award, National Nritya Shiromani Award and the Rajiv Gandhi National Award.
Maharaj also choreographed and composed music for many films like Shatranj ke Khiladi, Dil To Pagal Hai, Devdas, Kalank, Umrao Jaan and Dedh Ishqiya. He got in 2012 the National Film Award for Best Choreography for Unnai Kaanaathu (Vishwaroopam) and in 2016, the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography for Mohe Rang Do Laal (Bajirao Mastani).
He died in Delhi of a heart attack, aged 83. He leaves behind five children. His dance philosophy was: Nritya ko karo mat, nritya ko jiyo!