Google today paid tribute to Kathak queen Sitara Devi on her 97th birth anniversary with a doodle. The legendary dancer was responsible for popularising the classical dance form across India post independence. Such was her devotion for her craft that Rabindranath Tagore gave her the moniker of Nritrya Samragini, after watching her perform at an age of 16. Born on November 8, 1920 in a Brahmin family in Kolkata, Sitara Devi went on to become the greatest exponent of Kathak dance of 20th century.
Breaking convention
Express archive
Her father, Sukhadev Maharaj — a Vaishnavite scholar- was known as the source of the Benaras gharana of Kathake. He earned his livelihood by teaching and performing Kathak dances.He soon discovered her daughter’s passion for dancing and decided to break the social convention that a Brahmin girl should not learn dancing.”People were horrified hearing ghunguroo sounds from our house, because only tawaifs wore ghunguroos. But my father declared his daughters would not be confined to a life of dishwashing and housework.People retorted, will they dance in mujras?…If I am no more, and if tomorrow, God forbid, Birju Maharaj is no more, it will be the end of Kathak.” Devi she told The Hindu in an interview in 2009. Sukhadev Maharaj, who himself was well-versed in the Natya Shastra taught Sitara Devi the concepts of tandava and lasya.
Protested against Child marriage
Express archive
As it was a norm of that time, Sitara’s marriage was fixed when she was only eight years old. However, she protested and demanded school education. She was enrolled at Kamachhagarh High School where her teachers also recognised her knack for dancing and asked her to teach other students as well.
Extraordinary career
In a career spanning six decades, Sitara Devi took Kathak to new heights. In fact, much before stalwarts like Gopi Krishna and Birju Maharaj became ambassadors of Kathak, she introduced the dance form to the global audience. She choreographed some of the finest Kathak pieces such as todas and parans, and performed at several well-known concerts including at the Royal Albert Hall, London and Carnegie Hall, New York and many other famous venues.
Stint with Cinema
With Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Lata/ Express archive
The doyenne from Benaras gharana mesmerised audience with her dance in films like Mother India, Usha Haran, Anjali and many more. Her first film as a child actor was Aurat Ka Dil. The dancing legend also appeared in Phool, K. Asif’s directorial debut. She later married him.. After the marriage ended with him, she married Pratap Barot with whom she had a son, Ranjit Barot.
Master in other dance forms as well
Sitara Devi with Zakir Hussain/ Indian Express
Few people know that the Kathak queen was well-versed with other different dance forms — ballet, calypso and samba. These can be seen in the movies she choreographed.
Mentor to many Bollywood Divas
Sitara Devi served as a teacher to many Bollywood actresses, such as Madhubala, Rekha, Mala Sinha and Kajol. The thespian also wanted to set up a Kathak dance academy in Mumbai but was not granted land by government.
A student till the end
Sitara Devi with Alla rakhaa, Shobha Gurtu and Shivkumar Sharma/ Express archive
After her demise in 2014, Pandit Birju Maharaj, another doyen from Benaras Gharana and a renowned Kathak dancer, recalled how she had visited his home and entreated his father and uncles to teach her Kathak. Maharaj said that at an age when women were not allowed to dance, she did the unimaginable. She did the ‘Gandha bandhan’ ceremony with Acchan Maharaj, Birju Maharaj’s father. ‘Gandha Bandhan’ is a traditional ceremony of acceptance between a teacher and a disciple.
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