Watch: Kathak legend Pandit Birju Maharaj touches his pupil’s feet in viral video

Pandit Birju Maharaj died of a heart attack, at the age of 83, on Monday. The legendary Kathak dancer was at his Delhi home, playing with his grandsons when he suddenly fell unconscious. Thereupon, he was rushed to Saket hospital where he was pronounced dead. His demise has left a gaping hole in the art world, as several fans and followers have shared their memories of Pandit-ji. 

One such fan shared a video that highlights the unique relationship Pandit Birju Maharaj maintained with his disciples.

It shows the maestro taking a young girl under his wing, first blessing her by putting a ‘tika’ (streak) on her forehead, and giving her a pair of ‘ghungroos’ (anklet bells).  

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The teacher then instructs the student of how to put them on her feet and proceeds to touch them in a mark of respect. Normally, the guru-disciple power dynamic does not involve the teacher bowing down to touch the student’s feet. Pandit-ji clarifies this, telling his young pupil that the guru only touches the students’ feet once. Thereafter, it is the pupil who constantly seeks the guru’s blessing. 

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Among Pandit-ji’s most notable disciples is Madhuri Dixit, who he has called her favourite dancer in all of Bollywood. The actress has earned the legend’s stamp of approval for her own notable dancing skills. Pandit-ji has choreographed his student in notable films like ‘Devdas’ and ‘Dedh Ishqiya’. However, his contributions to Indian cinema extends to working with auteur Satyajit Ray in ‘The Chess Players’, and superstar Deepika Padukone in ‘Bajirao Mastani’. 

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Notably, Pandit-ji was suffering from kidney problems and had just started his dialysis. Pandit Birju Maharaj started performing at the young age of 13, and at 28 went on to receive the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. The highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, was also conferred upon the legend.