Pandit Birju Maharaj, his full name was Brijmohan Nath Mishra born on 4 February 1937 in Handia, United Provinces, British India that time, presently it is Handia in Uttar Pradesh, India, Brijmohan Nath Mishra is better known simply as Birju Maharaj. he was an Indian dancer, singer, composer, and exponent of the Lucknow’s “Kalka-Bindadin” Gharana of Kathak dance in India. He was also a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which included his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father who was also known as his guru, Acchan Maharaj. He also practiced Hindustani classical music and he was also a great vocalist.
Birju maharaj: Background and Early life
Birju Maharaj’s father’s name was Jagannath Maharaj, who popularly known as Acchan Maharaj, a Hindu Brahmin and a Kathak exponent of Lucknow Gharana, who served as a court dancer in Raigarh princely state. Birju Maharaj gave his first recital at the age of seven, was trained by his uncles, Lachhu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj, and his father Acchan Maharaj. His father Acchan Maharaj died On 20 May 1947 when he was nine years old.
Born: 4 Feb 1937
died: 17 Jan 2022
father: Jagannath Maharaj
Mother: Amma Ji Maharaj
Children: Mamta Maharaj, Jaikishan Maharaj, Deepak Maharaj, Anita Maharaj
career:
From the age of thirteen Pt. Birju Maharaj started teaching dance, at the Sangeet Bharti situated in New Delhi. then He taught dance at the Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi, and then at the Kathak Kendra (which is a unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi) where he was also Head of Faculty, and director, he retired in 1998 after which then he opened his own dance school, Kalashram, which is also in Delhi.
Pt. Birju Maharaj composed the music, and sang, for two dance sequences in the Satyajit Ray’s film Shatranj Ke Khilari, and choreographed Kaahe Chhed Mohe song of Devdas.
He was also popularly known as, Maharaj-Ji, who died unexpectedly surrounded by his family and disciples. As the news sources, they were playing ‘antakshari (अन्ताक्षरी )’ after dinner when he suddenly took ill, He probably died of a cardiac arrest, his granddaughter said. The Kathak exponent, one of India’s best-known artists, had been also suffering from a kidney ailment and was under dialysis treatment. This time he was 83 years old, He would have been 84 the next month.
Birju Maharaj: awards and honors
- 1964 – Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (संगीत नाटक अकादमी पुरस्कार)
- 1986 – Padma Vibhushan (पद्म विभूषण)
- 1986 – Nritya Choodamani Award (नृत्य चूड़ामणि पुरस्कार, श्री कृष्णा गण सभा के द्वारा)Sri Krishna Gana Sabha
- 1987 – Kalidas Samman (कालिदास सम्मान)
- 2002 – Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar( लता मगेश्कर पुरस्कार)
- Honorary doctorate from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya (डॉक्टरेट की मानद उपाधि, इंदिरा कला संगीत विश्वविद्यालय द्वारा)
- Honorary doctorate from Banaras Hindu University (मानद डॉक्टरेट की उपाधि काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय द्वारा)
- Sangam Kala Award (संगम कला पुरस्कार)
- Bharat Muni Samman (भारत मुनि सम्मान)
- Andhra Ratna (आन्ध्र रत्न)
- Nritya Vilas Award(नृत्य विलास पुरस्कार)
- Adharshila Shikhar Samman (आधार शिला शिखर सम्मान)
- Soviet Land Nehru Award (सोवियत लैंड नेहरु पुरस्कार)
- National Nritya Shiromani Award (राष्ट्रिय नृत्य शिरोमणि पुरस्कार)
- Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award (राजिव गाँधी राष्ट्रिय सद्भावना पुरस्कार)
Film Awards (फिल्म पुरस्कार)
- 2012 – National Film Award for Best Choreography ( सर्वश्रेष्ठ कोरियोग्राफी के लिए राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार) for Unnai Kaanaathu (Vishwaroopam)
- 2016 – Filmfare Award for Best Choreography (सर्वश्रेष्ठ कोरियोग्राफी के लिए फिल्म्फारे पुरस्कार) for Mohe Rang Do Laal (Bajirao Mastani)