Bindadin Maharaj

Bindadin Maharaj was the originator of Lucknow Gharana of Kathak Dance. With his brother Kalika Prasad, he brought a renaissance in Kathak and raised it to a high level of polished and extremely stylized dance. He was born in 1830 at Handia Tehsil in Allahabad district where his father Durga Prasad used to live. Durga Prasad had three sons Bindadin and Kalika Prasad were own brothers. Bindadin had no children, whereas Kalika Prasad had three sons - Achchan Maharaj, Luchchu Maharaj and Shambhu Mahaiaj. Bindadin gave the utmost training to his nephew Achchan Maharaj. Bindadin, in his own turn, was trained by his father and uncle Thakur Prasad. Due to the First War of Independence in 1857, he went out of Lucknow for some time with Thakur Prasad. Thereafter he went to Nepal and from there to Bhopal and was warmly welcomed at both the places. He was not only acclaimed as a great dancer at these places, but also received a large amount of riches as gifts. He was a devotee of Lord Krishna. His portrait shows that at the time of dancing he used to put on Achkan, Churidar and Dupalli cap. He died in 1918. Bindadin Mahraj also composed hundreds of Thumaris & Bandishes, specially crafted for Kathak dance. One finds his Mudra (name de plume) as "Binda Kahat" in such compositions. Pt Birju Maharaj has complied these compositions in book "Ras Gunjan".