Kathak By Pandit Birju Maharaj

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Limited is organising the annual Taramati Music & Dance Festival, from 7th to 9th December, at the Taramati Baradari Culture Complex, Ibrahimbagh, Gandipet Road. The 3-day festival will feature some of the country's topmost artistes, such as Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt. Birju Maharaj and Jagjit Singh, in concert.

Today, the second day, the world's topmost Kathak exponent, Pt. Birju Maharaj, will perform the second recital of the day. Born in 1938 into a family of dancers, Birju Maharaj is the torchbearer of the famous family, the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow, which has been serving the art of Kathak dance for centuries.

Besides being a superb dancer, he is also gifted with a number of other qualities which add to his artistic career. He is a wonderful singer, having command over Thumri, Dadra, bhajans and ghazals, and is also superb drummer, playing nearly all drums with ease and precision.

Birju Maharaj was almost a born dancer, having shown keen interest in it since the age of 3. Recognising his talent, he father Acchan Maharaj, a renowned Kathak dancer and teacher, initiated him into the world of Kathak and taught him the art. After his sudden demise when Birju was only 9, the latter shifted to Mumbai and learnt under his uncle Lacchu Maharaj.

At the age of 13, Maharaj was invited by Sangeet Bharathi in Delhi to teach Kathak. Soon he established himself as a devoted dancer and a dedicated teacher. He has extensively toured all over the world, including to the erstwhile USSR, the USA, Japan, the UAE, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Burma and Ceylon, for his performances as well as for lecture-demonstrations.

His genius was recognized early, when at the age of 28, he received the Sangeet Natak Akademy Award. He is also a recipient of the country's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, besides several other prestigious awards like the Kalidas Samman, the Nritya Choodamani, the Andhra Ratna, the Nritya Vilas, the Adharshila Shikhar Samman, the Soviet Land Nehru Award, the Shiromani Samman and the Rajiv Gandhi Peace Award. He has been conferred upon Honorary Doctorate degrees from the Benaras Hindu University and the Khairagarh University.

The entry is by tickets of Rs. 1,000 / Rs. 500 / Rs. 250 per head per day. Please contact Praveen at 98485-35654 for ticket bookings and further details.