View source for Lachhu Maharaj

{{For|the musician |Lachhu Maharaj (musician)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}

{{Infobox musical artist
|name            = Lachhu Maharaj 
|image           = Lachhu Maharaj 2001 stamp of India.jpg
|image_size = 245px 
| caption = Maharaj on a 2001 stamp of India
|background      = non_performing_personnel
|birth_name      =
|alias           =
|birth_date      = {{Birth date|1901|09|01}}
|birth_place     = [[Lucknow]]
|death_date      = {{death date and age|1978|07|19|1901|09|01|df=yes}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLEZAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Lachchu+Maharaj%22|title=Eminent Indians who was Who, 1900-1980, Also Annual Diary of Events|last1=Ltd|first1=Durga Das Pvt|year=1985}}</ref>
|death_place     = [[Lucknow]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
|origin          = [[India]]
|instrument      =
|genre           = [[Hindustani classical music|Indian classical music]]
|occupation      = Classical dancer
|years_active    =
|label           =
|associated_acts =
|website         = 
|current_members =
|past_members    =
}}
Pandit Bajinath Prasad also known as Pandit '''Lachhu Maharaj''' (1901–1978) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of [[Kathak]] dance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lachhu Maharaj: Everything you need to know about the Kathak legend|url=https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/others/lachhu-maharaj-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-kathak-legend.html|access-date=2021-10-07|website=Republic World|language=en}}</ref> 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.

==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 [[Pakhavaj|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 film)|Mahal]]'' (1949), ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' (1960), ''[[Chhoti Chhoti Baten]]'' (1965) and ''[[Pakeezah]]'' (1972)<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0536775/filmoyear Filmography] [[IMDb]].</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm |title=SNA: List of Akademi Awardees |publisher=[[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] Official website |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331060603/http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm |archivedate=31 March 2016 }}</ref>

==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''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Double dose of dance for Lucknowites |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-09-05/others/27952679_1_saroj-khan-dance-ballet-choreographer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201181349/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-09-05/others/27952679_1_saroj-khan-dance-ballet-choreographer |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2014 |date=5 September 2007 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |accessdate=28 May 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Kathak dancers]]

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0536775}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharaj, Lachhu}}
[[Category:Kathak exponents]]
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:Artists from Lucknow]]
[[Category:Indian classical choreographers]]
[[Category:Indian film choreographers]]
[[Category:Performers of Indian classical dance]]
[[Category:Indian choreographers]]
[[Category:Teachers of Indian classical dance]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Dancers from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]


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