Lachhu Maharaj

Pandit Bajinath Prasad also known as Pandit Lachhu Maharaj (1901–1978) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Kathak dance. He came from a family of illustrious Kathak exponents in Lucknow, and also worked as film choreographer, Hindi cinema, most notably Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Pakeezah (1972). He was awarded the 1957 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. He was paternal uncle of Pandit Birju Maharaj.

For the musician, see Lachhu Maharaj (musician).

Lachhu Maharaj
Maharaj on a 2001 stamp of India
Maharaj on a 2001 stamp of India
Background information
Born(1901-09-01)1 September 1901
Lucknow, North-Western Provinces, British India
OriginIndia
Died19 July 1978(1978-07-19) (aged 76)[1]
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
GenresIndian classical music
Occupation(s)Classical dancer

Early life and training

He received extensive training from Pandit Bindadin Maharaj, his uncle and the court dancer of the Nawab of Awadh, for nearly ten years. He also learnt the Pakhawaj, the Tabla and Hindustani Classical vocal music.

Career

Later, he moved to Mumbai, where the emerging film industry helped him to bring Kathak to a far wider audience. Lachhu Maharaj was acclaimed for the choreography of dance sequences in movies like Mahal (1949), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Chhoti Chhoti Baten (1965) and Pakeezah (1972)[2] as well as his ballets like Goutam Buddha, Chandravali and Bharatiya Kissan. He was also the founder Director of the Kathak Kendra started by the Uttar Pradesh Government in Lucknow.

Awards

Among many prestigious awards he won were the Presidents' Award and the 1957 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.[3]

Legacy

In September 2007, a two-day festival was organized in Lucknow to celebrate his birth centenary, in presence of his wife Rama Devi, his disciples like Nalini and Kamalini, a book on him was also released and students of the dance institution he founded, Kathak Kendra staged a ballet, Megh Malhar.[4]

See also

References
  1. Ltd, Durga Das Pvt (1985). "Eminent Indians who was Who, 1900-1980, Also Annual Diary of Events".
  2. Filmography IMDb.
  3. "SNA: List of Akademi Awardees". Sangeet Natak Akademi Official website. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
  4. "Double dose of dance for Lucknowites". The Times of India. 5 September 2007. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2013.


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