New Delhi: Legendary Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj breathed his last on January 17, 2022, after suffering a heart attack. He was 83 years old.
The news of his death came as a shock to the entire industry and many of his fans, including celebrities, mourned the loss of the legendary Kathak maestro. The news of his death was confirmed by his relatives who shared that Pandit Birju Maharaj was playing with his grandsons when he suffered a heart attack and fell unconscious.
Now, a day after his death, a video from his funeral has been shared on social media where his sons Jaikishan Maharaj and Deepak Maharaj; Saswati Sen and other disciples; other family members and relatives can be seen reciting Kathak bol vani as a tribute to the departing soul.
A Facebook user, Santanu Ganguly, shared the video from his funeral. Take a look:
Earlier, Pandit Birju Maharaj’s granddaughter Ragini Maharaj told ANI that he had been under treatment for the past month. She also shared a moving post on her Instagram after her grandfather’s demise: “Guru ka jaana, dada ka jaana toh maan liya lekin ek mitr ka jaana asehniya hota hai. Mera sharaarati dost kahin chala gaya. Durbhagya se logon ka aana aur jaana apne haath mein nahi hota hai, agar hota toh aapke saath hi chali gayi hoti. Tab tak ke liye aap jahaan bhi hain wahaan akele hi hudhdang machaiye. Jab sahi samay aayega toh aakar aapse wo thumri kaa bhaav sikhungi jo aap pichhle 4 mahine se bolte rahe per sikhaa nahi paaye. Jo taaleem aap de gaye usko aage logon tak pahunchaungi aur nibhaaungi. Koi galti ho jaaye toh baad mein theek karwaa dijiyegaa.”
The Padma Vibhushan awardee Pandit Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which includes his uncles Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj.
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