Madhuri Dixit, Kamal Haasan, Hema Malini and others mourn the death of legendary Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj. (Photo: Express Archive, Madhuri Dixit/Twitter, Kamal Haasan/Twitter) Legendary Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj, who took the traditional Indian dance form to the world, died on Monday. He was 83. As soon as the news of his death was shared on his social media platform by his granddaughter Ragini Maharaj, several Bollywood celebrities and his fans mourned the loss.
Actor-politician Hema Malini was one of the firsts to pay tribute to the late dancer. “The nation mourns the passing of a true legend, Shri Birju Maharaj,Kathak exponent par excellence. His ghungroos were on his ankles till he breathed his last.I always admired and respected him as a giant of the medium of Kathak & will miss his presence on the firmament of dance,” the actor, who herself is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer, shared on Twitter. Later, her daughter Esha Deol took to Twitter and wrote that the classical dancer was “an inspiration for generations to come.”
Madhuri Dixit, who collaborated with him in three films wrote, “He was a legend but had a child like innocence. He was my guru but also my friend. He taught me the intricacies of dance and Abhinay but never failed to make me laugh at his funny anecdotes.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his death is an “irreparable loss” to the entire art world. “Deeply saddened by the demise of Pandit Birju Maharaj ji, who gave Indian dance a special recognition world over. His passing is an irreparable loss to the entire art world. My condolences to his family and fans in this hour of grief,” the prime minister said.
ஈடு இணையற்ற நடனக் கலைஞரான பண்டிட் பிர்ஜூ மகராஜ் மறைந்தார்.ஓர் ஏகலைவனைப் போல பல்லாண்டுகள் தொலைவிலிருந்து அவதானித்தும்,விஸ்வரூபம் படத்திற்காக அருகிருந்தும் நான் கற்றுக்கொண்டவை ஏராளம்.இசைக்கும் நாட்டியத்திற்கும் தன் ஆயுளை அர்ப்பணித்துக்கொண்டவரே, ‘உன்னை காணாது நான் இன்று நானில்லையே’ pic.twitter.com/WC9bTUkjE2
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) January 17, 2022
View this post on Instagram
He was a legend but had a child like innocence. He was my guru but also my friend. He taught me the intricacies of dance and Abhinay but never failed to make me laugh at his funny anecdotes. pic.twitter.com/KfcqravsXX
— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) January 17, 2022
A big vacuum in the world of Kathak dance … will miss you Pandit Birju Maharaj ji . RIP 🙏🏻
— Shankar Mahadevan (@Shankar_Live) January 17, 2022
The legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj leaves behind a void that can never be filled. Thank you for your huge contribution to the world of Dance and inspiring so many like me with your art. You will be missed. Rest in peace Panditji, condolences to the family and friends. pic.twitter.com/JhnzVGq3VG
— Yami Gautam Dhar (@yamigautam) January 17, 2022
View this post on Instagram
Kamal Haasan shared a throwback picture of himself when he was trained by the legendary Birju Maharaj. He called him “the unparalleled dancer.” Choreographer-turned-filmmaker Farah Khan was also among the firsts to react to Maharaj’s passing away. “The world loses a genuine stalwart,” she mentioned via Twitter.
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan shared a throwback picture with Birju Maharaj. He said his passing away “marks the end of an era for Indian dance and Kathak.” “For me it’s been a personal loss. He was loved immensely by my family and his memories live in our hearts forever. The heavens will dance for him today and everyday,” he shared.
Adnan Sami said that the country has lost “an unparalleled institution in the field of the performing arts. He has influenced many generations through his genius. May he rest in peace.”
Maharaj-ji, as he was popularly known, died surrounded by his family and disciples. His granddaughter Ragini Maharaj told PTI, “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 am. 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.”
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
