Google pays tribute to tabla whizz Pandit Lachhu Maharaj
Celebrated tabla maestro Lakshmi Narayan Singh, fondly known as Pandit Lachhu Maharaj, was paid homage by search giant Google with a colorful doodle on his 74th birthday. Born on this day in 1944 to a family of musicians, the renowned Banaras Gharana musician trained under his father, Vasudev Maharaj, had started performing at an early age. Here are more details.
Maharaj remembered for his solo performances across the world
Born and brought up in Varanasi, Maharaj is distinctly remembered for his solo performances across the world. Thumri exponent Girija Devi, who often collaborated with Maharaj, claimed, "He would play for hours without repeating himself, new gats, tukras, and parans, leaving his audiences awestruck." Maharaj had worked in many Bollywood films and performed all over the world.
Maharaj died of heart attack in July 2016
Filmstar Govinda, who was Maharaj's sister's son, learned music from him at a young age. One of the frontline tabla players in world, Maharaj in 1957 received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest Indian honor in performing arts. He was also nominated for a Padma Shri, but refused to accept the award. Maharaj, at 71, died of heart attack on July 28, 2016.
