AMN / WEB DESK
India’s Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj died early Monday at the age of 83, leaving the whole country in shock. The renowned dancer’s demise was confirmed by his relatives.
Birju was the recipient of several awards and although his soul has departed for the heavens, his legacy will live on for eternity.
Birju Maharaj, one of India’s best known and most loved artistes, was from Lucknow’s Kalka-Bindadin Gharana. He is survived by five children, three daughters and two sons, and five grandchildren.
He had been suffering from a kidney ailment and was under dialysis treatment for the last month due to high diabetes. He probably died of a cardiac arrest, his granddaughter said.
“He was with us when this happened. He had his dinner and we were playing ‘antakshari’ because he loved old music. He was lying down… and suddenly his breathing became uneven. We think it was cardiac arrest as he was also a heart patient.
“This happened between 12.15 and 12.30 a.m. It must have been just a minute or so. We rushed to the hospital but unfortunately, we could not save him. He died before reaching the hospital,” Ragini Maharaj said. Ragini Maharaj, a Kathak dancer herself, said the only solace for the family is that he did not suffer too much in his last moments.
“Two of his disciples and his two granddaughters, my younger sister Yasyashashwini and me, were with him when this happened. He was laughing and smiling in his last moments,” she said.
Many prominent public figures and Bollywood celebrities took to social media to mourn the loss of Birju Maharaj.
PM Modi ‘deeply saddened’ by Pandit Birju Maharaj’s death, calls it ‘irreparable loss’
AMN \ New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, mourned the tragic death of Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj. The renowned dancer died on Sunday (Jan 16) at the age of 83 as per his relatives. His demise has left the whole country in shock and saddened many including PM Narendra Modi.
The honourable PM took to Twitter to condole Pandit Birju Maharaj’s death with a heartfelt note and a picture of the duo.
He wrote in Hindi, “Deeply saddened by the demise of Pandit Birju Maharaj ji, who gave Indian dance art a special recognition across the world. His passing is an irreparable loss to the entire art world. My condolences to his family and fans in this hour of grief. om Shanti!”
Tamil actor Kamal Haasan is heartbroken after learning about legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj’s death on Monday (January 16). Birju Maharaj passed away at the age of 83 after suffering a cardiac arrest. The ‘Chachi 420’ actor called himself ‘Ekalavya’ who was learning from afar from guru Birju Maharaj before finally getting a chance to be choreographed by him in the film ‘Vishwaroopam’.
“We’ve lost a peerless dancer like Pandit Birju Maharaj. For several years, I learned from him, from a distance, as Ekalavya did.. then I got to learn from him in person for the film Vishwaroopam. ‘Without you insight, I’m not who I am”, tweeted the actor in Tamil.