Pandit Birju Maharaj, the legendary Kathak dancer has always been a motivational factor in the life of actress Parakh Madan. Parakh who is herself a Kathak dancer has learnt the craft from Maharajji who has been her Guru for decades now.
The passing away of Birju Maharaj is a huge loss for Parakh and she shares her thoughts, on her life-long learnings from the Kathak maestro.
Says Parakh, “I started learning Kathak at the age of 6 in Ranchi from my guru (Late)Manju Malkani. She always wanted me to go to Delhi and learn from Maharaj ji. As luck would have it, I went for college to Delhi and also joined Maharaj ji’s institute called ‘Kalashram’. So, I’ve been under his tutelage for about 2 decades now.”
Talking about the complete artiste that Maharajji was, Parakh states, “Maharaj ji was an institution in himself. He wasn’t just a ‘star’ in the World of Kathak. He was the whole damn sky. The vacuum that his absence will cause in the Kathak World will remain unfulfilled. This void will stay and will forever be felt by all Kathak lovers.”
“What remains now are his teachings which we(his students) will cherish and hold close to our hearts. His devotion to his art was pure and complete. Such unadulterated devotion is difficult to come across in today’s day and age. He was truly a legend,” she adds.
Talking about her personal rapport with him, Parakh states, “My personal equation with Maharaj ji had evolved over the years of learning from him, spending time with him and just observing him. When I joined Kalashram in 2002-2003, he used to say that my dance style was very robotic and military like. It was only after 6-7 years of training under him did he finally say, “ab tumhare dance mein ras aa gaya hai.” And thereafter, whenever he would introduce me to anyone in a room, he would say, “ye meri bohot khaas hai.” And of course, every time that happened, I swelled with joy and pride.”
“What he has taught me and taught all his students is to always be true to yourself and true to your art form. If you can accomplish that, no one will be able to dim your light and stop you from shining,” explains Parakh.
Before signing off, with all sincerity in heart, the shishya in her says, “I just hope he is at peace wherever he is and is spreading his magic through his art and his persona. I will always miss him.”
Truly, the Kathak world and the whole of humanity will miss the legend..