India, Jan. 31 -- Ahead of the birth anniversary (February 4) of the late Kathak maestro and Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj, a musical celebration was held at his ancestral home, Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi and Kathak Museum in Wazirganj. On this occasion, the research book Kathak Divya Darshan, by Kathak guru Renu Sharma, was released in the presence of writer Vidya Vindu Singh, writer and Alpika founder Uma Trigunayat The event commenced with Guru Vadana by guru Pandit Anuj Mishra and his students, aged 5 to 12 years. "My father, the late Pandit Arjun Mishra, was his senior student, so I recited Dada (Pt Birju) Maharaj's and my father's compositions. Maharajji is known in baav pakash, so with my wife Neha Mishra Sengar, we performed the bhajan Baje Baje Ek Mandalam, which emphasised mudras and facial expression," he says. Thereafter, his senior students presented Taal Pancham Sawari on compositions by Anuj. He concluded with the Gati presentation and Birju Maharaj's compositions that were inspired by nature. "Dada Maharaj used to perform a tiger's leap, cow-deer-tiger expressions, galloping horse, mayur dance, and create the sound of one ghungroo from a 100-piece set through foot movement. We performed it in Ruksar-ki-gat, a tradition since the Nawabi era." Kathak guru Surabhi Singh's student Isha-Meesha Ratan and Akanksha Pandey; guru Ruchi Khare's students Vaibhavi Singh and Runjhun Singh; guru Anita Bhargava, guru Purnima Pandey's student Vallari Narain Pathak; guru Renu Sharma's students Raju Kumar, guru Kumkum Dhar's student Harshita Mishra also gave musical tributes to the maestro. Kathak exponent and Pandit Birju Maharaj's disciple Renu Sharma presented the final performance of the tribute evening....