Krishna is my constant companion, declares Pt. Birju Maharaj. “Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night with a new bandish or bol and recite it to Him for approval,” laughs the Kathak legend, who travels around the world with the idols of Krishna and Radha. “I carry the smaller versions of the ones at my home in Delhi. Like music and dance, these idols are part of the family legacy.”
Janmashtami at Maharaj’s ancestral house, Thakurbari in Lucknow, was celebrated for six days. Eminent musicians, who visited, would also perform.
“My amma would take utmost care of this baby, feeding him delicious food, fanning him during the hot summer and adorning him with warm clothes in the winter. I have heard her sing lullabies to Him. My father, Acchan Maharaj, derived his artistic inspiration from Krishna. He penned 5,000 songs on Him in the form of thumri, dadra, kavit and bhajans. Sadly, he never got them printed to preserve them for posterity.”
Over the past few years, Birju Maharaj has been trying to document them. He has retrived around 300. “Some of them recited by my mother and some by those who learnt it from my father. They are beautiful compositions that describe in simple words Krishna’s childhood and his love for Radha. For instance, ‘ Meri suno Shyam, chodo achharva, kaha maan lo pyare, hoon main teri cheri’ (Listen to me Shyam, leave my pallu, after all I am your ardent admirer).”
There is bhakti in laya, says the renowned dancer.
“To master the laya, a good grasp over the art form’s technique is as essential as devotion towards it. My dance is an offering to Krishna because He guides my every move and expression.”
