Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak

Maharaj Ghulam Hussain
Born 1905
Calcutta, India
Died 2001
Lahore, Pakistan
Occupation Dancer, Teacher
Dances Kathak

Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak (1905 2001) was a classical dancer and teacher for the art. He held the distinction of singularly sustaining the tradition of classical dance in Pakistan and producing students like Nahid Siddiqui, Fasih Ur Rehman, Nighat Chaudry, Amy Minwala and Panna among many others.

Early life

Ghulam Hussain was born in Calcutta. Basically he was a Hindu later converted - his early name of Maina].[1][2] Ghulam Hussain came to Pakistan in the 60's. After staying in Karachi. He came to Lahore in 1971. He never performed in Pakistan. He was a disciple of Acchan Maharaj, the father of Birju Maharaj in India, who was a very well known performer. In a musical conference in Banaras in 1938, he was betstowed with the title "Maharaj Kathak" by his gurus, in the presence of eminent singers and dancers.

Migration to Pakistan

Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak migrated to Karachi after the partition and lived there before moving to Lahore in his later years. He has been a major exponent in the arts and teaching of classical kathak dance in Pakistan, for over four decades.[3] Maharaj also appeared in 1995 Pakistani musical film Sargam directed by Syed Noor starring the singer Adnan Sami and his ex-wife Zeba Bakhtiar. This was followed by another appearance of Maharaj in a Pakistan Television play series.

Legacy

Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak was the guru of Pakistani classical dancer Nahid Siddiqui.<ref http://books.google.com/books?id=yFXkPk3zMeYC&pg=RA1-PA126&lpg=RA1-PA126&dq=Maharaj+Ghulam+Hussain+Kathak&source=bl&ots=oarTFT6sVV&sig=5ieCweOcLUE5kcFuajfsd6Fwia8&hl=en&ei=YAi1SoK7HIGqswP0yYDSDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#v=onepage&q=Maharaj%20Ghulam%20Hussain%20Kathak&f=false> India's kathak dance, past present, future By Reginald Massey</ref>[4][5] Fasih Ur Rehman, a discipline of Ghulam Hussain, has been carrying on the legacy of the great Kathak maestro through sheer hard work, self-discipline and dedication for the last 25 years.[6][7]

References

  1. Lahore Chitrkar http://www.lahorechitrkar.com/view-artist.php?ID=81
  2. The encyclopedia of Pakistan, Editors Hafeez Malik, Yuri V. Gankovsky Oxford University Press, 2006
  3. Rainbow of music and dance: national performing arts group, By Ayesha Taslim, Pakistan National Council of the Arts
  4. Old roads, new highways: fifty years of Pakistan,By Victoria Schofield
  5. British alternative theatre directory 1988, By David McGillivray, Robert Conway
  6. http://fasihurrehman.com/
  7. http://www.mag4you.com/spotlight/Fasih-Ur-Rehman/3648.htm
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