Kathak Legend Birju Maharaj Passes Away

• 17 Jan 2022

• Kathak legend Pandit Birju Maharaj (Brij Mohan Nath Mishra) has passed away on 16 January 2022.
• He was an exponent of the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow.
• His dance underlines the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana features — ang (physical beauty), layakari (lyrical melody) and abhinaya (mime).
• He was a distinguished performer with complex rhythmic structures, lightning-fast spins and poetic expressions.
• While he was best known as a Kathak dancer, he was an equally prolific singer, poet and painter.
• Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which includes his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj.
• He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1964) and Padma Vibhushan in 1986.