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Birju Maharaj's disciple organises Kathak workshop in Panchkula

The 25-year-old Nritya Nipun (PhD) in Kathak Bhav (expressions) from Bhatkhande Vidyapeeth, Lucknow has been teaching students across the globe since 1999. Pt Mishra has assisted with choreography for films too.

A dedicated Krishna worshipper, Pulkit Mishra’s love for his God and dance made him leave home at a young age of seven. Being a son of a police officer, Mishra had to hide his hobby from his father. When the opportunity to learn under Pt Birju Maharaj came to him in the form of a newspaper advertisement, he applied for it and was called up for auditions. His supportive mother gave in to his firm resolution and sent him for the auditions.

Unaware of the cancellation of the auditions, then seven year old Mishra had to spend three months at the Old Delhi Railway station. In spite of the hardships, his will to learn dance didn’t fade. Finally when he got to audition in front of an elite panel comprising of Pt. Ravi Shankar, Pt, Bhimsen Joshi and Pt Birju Maharaj, his elegance and tears got him selected from a group of 400 contestants from UP.

For years, he lived in the servant quarters of Birju Maharaj and missed formal education and a normal childhood. To make up for it, he gave secondary and higher secondary examinations under open school.

Today, Pt Mishra trains 150 students in Canada and Paris. Surprisingly, the number of students in India is much less, around 30. “Foreigners give more respect to this classical dance form of India. In India, the young generation is running after western dance forms and knowingly forgetting its own culture. I blame the media, parents and lack of cultural knowledge for this trend. Youngsters here are ready to pay Rs. 1000 for learning Hip hop rather than paying Rs. 400 for a Kathak dance class. I want to inspire the youth and create their interest in Indian classical art forms.”, said Pulkit Mishra.

Pt Mishra received the Bharat Gaurav Samman in 2006 for training 35 orphans who topped the university.

Punjabi women formed karsewa group in Japan to help tsunami ...

Amritsar: Drawing inspiration from her unique Punjabi institution of langar (free meals for all), Sonia Dhillon, a Bathinda born Tokyo resident along with several Japanese and other foreign nationals served ‘langar’ to nearly 250 Tsunami displaced Japanese in Tohuku on Thursday.

“Punjab and its culture of langar and sewa are so universally appealing that it did not take me much time to get a team of Japanese and foreign friends together to make a karsewa trip to Tohoku,” said Sonia while talking to TOI over phone from Tohoku.

Not only did the group of volunteers cook food at home but they also imported Blow Fish (Fugu) from Yamaguchi and a selection of wines from France. A Peruvian member of karsewa group Roxsanna Lindell said that she had spent all day in the kitchen along with others baking cakes and other dishes. “It is a unique and noble Punjabi tradition, ” she said.

She said it was a small contribution they were making to help Tsunami affected people despite the fact that Japanese government was providing the meals to all the displaced people. Another member of the group, Poonam Rani said,”Children also donated their toys. We also took car load of household items like microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, etc.”

Sonia said that Yoko Mitsui, (Japan representative of International Luxury Brand Companies) was donating make-up kits from one of her companies. Ballet group from Yamanashi prefecture, famous for its performances in the nature, performed for the Tsunami affected people. “The kids worked to create some calligraphy art panels to convey the message of courage , hope and Punjabi spirit,” she said. Sonia said she felt proud that all the volunteers of karsewa group were very enthusiastic to join the langar project.

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