Legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj passes away at 83

Kathak master and Padma Vibhushan awardee Pandit Birju Maharaj died at the age of 83 reportedly because of a heart attack.

Maharaj-ji, as he was popularly known, died surrounded by his family and disciples. They were playing ‘antakshari’ after dinner when he suddenly took ill, Ragini Maharaj told PTI.

He had been suffering from a kidney ailment and was under dialysis treatment for the last month because of high diabetes. He probably died from a heart attack, his granddaughter said.

“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 a.m. 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,” Ragini Maharaj said. Ragini Maharaj, a Kathak dancer herself, said the only solace for the family is that he did not suffer too much in his last moments.

“Two of his disciples and his two granddaughters, my younger sister Yasyashashwini and me, were with him when this happened. He was laughing and smiling in his last moments,” she said.

The veteran dancer has choreographed numerous well-known Bollywood dance sequences. In one of his last interviews, he was quoted as saying, “ Madhuri Dixit is one of my most favorites. She treats me like a guru (teacher). To date, she calls me and asks me when I am coming to Mumbai. She also asks me to spend an evening with her whenever I am in the city. Jackie Shroff treats me with the utmost respect. He gives me a call almost every 15 days. So there are many like these.”