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 Guru Prabha Marathe (1936-2025)- Ashish Mohan Khokare-mail: khokar1960@gmail.com January 3, 2026  Kathak Guru PRABHA MARATHE passed away on December 31, 2025 aged 89. She was the ace disciple of guru Birju Maharaj and first lot in Delhi at Kathak Kendra in the 1960s. She also created Pune's biggest (in land size) dance school - Kala Chhaya in 1965 - where many artistes got platformed in music and dance like Bhimsen Joshi, Amjad Ali Khan and others. She engaged Guru Munnalal Shukla to teach Lucknow gharana for years. She gave space to workshops by Prerna Shrimali and all other gharanas. The space had amphitheatre, exhibition galleries and more. Her niece Rashmi Jangam rook charge in the last decade to run it. Prabha Marathe is credited with popularising and documenting the techniques of Kathak She will be remembered by the art fraternity of Pune as a pioneer and patron. KALA CHHAYA - Rashmi Jangam Courtesy: Ashish Khokar's attenDance 2024 Pune Special  Guru Prabha Marathe with Pt Birju Maharaj Guru Prabha Marathe, born in 1936, is indeed a prominent entity in the field of Kathak. Her journey as a Kathak dancer began under Guru Rohini Bhate, where she showed artistic prowess by being the lead in productions like "Geet Govind" and "Krishna Koyna." Soon after, she made Delhi her abode as she went to further her Kathak skills under the guidance of the maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj. Her journey from a student of Kathak to revolutionizing the Kathak scenario in Pune, by establishing Kala Chhaya Cultural Centre is truly commendable and showcases her utter dedication towards the art form. Receiving the National Scholarship to study Kathak under the tutelage of Pt. Birju Maharaj highlights her talent and commitment to mastering this classical dance form. Graduating from the prestigious Bharatiya Kala Kendra in New Delhi further solidifies her credentials as a Kathak exponent. "Prabha Marathe is both a traditional and contemporary artiste, and a teacher, all rolled into one, one of the earliest promoters of the art of Kathak in Maharashtra" quotes Ustad Zakir Hussain, a stalwart in Indian music, speaks volumes about Prabha Marathe's versatility as an artiste. Her pioneering efforts in popularizing Kathak in Maharashtra have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the cultural landscape of the region. Her ability to navigate through the trials of time with bravery and resilience is a testament to her strength of character and passion for Kathak. Guru Prabha Marathe's efforts have not only preserved the rich cultural heritage of Kathak but have also propelled it forward into the modern era. Through her tireless work and dedication, she has inspired countless individuals to embrace Kathak and continue its legacy. Her contributions to the art form will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact for generations to come, cementing her status as a true trailblazer and trooper in the world of dance.  Prabha Marathe Guru Prabha Marathe's artistic vision extends beyond traditional boundaries, as evidenced by her experimental approach to Kathak. Through her innovative choreography and collaborations, she has challenged conventional norms and encouraged audiences to reconsider the art form's rich traditions. Her work based on the renowned Marathi poet Aarti Prabhu's "Pratima," showcases her ability to blend Kathak with contemporary literature, offering audiences a fresh perspective on both the dance form and the literary work. Similarly, her choreography inspired by "Virahini," a composition by Sant Dyaneshwar, demonstrates her deep understanding of classical literature and her talent for translating its essence into captivating dance performances. In the last few years, she has also been extremely honest about how one can practice art, what could be the norms of formal education and other such questions which make young minds think about what is applicable to today's times. As a secure artiste herself, she has acknowledged and taken to public platforms to raise these and other related questions, and has even brought artistes from various fields to share, discuss their views, opinions, adding to the rich cultural scene of Pune city. Her tireless efforts in constantly building new ways of realizing the beauty of different art forms are appreciable.  Bhumi puja of Kala Chhaya with Pt Birju Maharaj Kala Chhaya was founded in the year 1965 by Guru Prabha Marathe to promote the beautiful and lyrical style of her guru, Pt. Birju Maharaj. Over the past several decades, Kala Chhaya has evolved into a multifaceted cultural hub, becoming a cornerstone in the promotion and preservation of Indian classical arts. In addition to its role as an educational institute offering courses in Kathak, Tabla, Hindustani vocal and Western music, Kala Chhaya has also developed into a vibrant performance space. Over the years, Kala Chhaya has welcomed a plethora of national and international artistes, further enriching its cultural tapestry. These artistes span diverse disciplines, including dance, music, and visual arts, reflecting the center's commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange and artistic collaboration. With the establishment of its own cultural forum, called "Sanskriti", it has been able to organize lecture/demonstrations, workshops and concerts of eminent scholars, performers and artistes of national as well as international repute. To name a few, Prof. Badal Sarkar, Prof. Bansi Kaul, Chandralekha, Ustad Zia Mohinduddin Dagar, Ustad Allarakhan, tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Birju Maharaj Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj, Prof. Joan Erdman, Prof. Bill Evans. Kala Chhaya has worked with various individuals and organizations at regional, national and international level and has produced number of shows and events in collaboration with Max Mueller Bhavan, Alliance Francaise- Pune, National School of Drama, Kathak Kendra and Sangeet Natak Akademi-Delhi, Jamey Haddad, Percussionist, Boston Music College, Modem dancer Ileana Citaristi, Nuria and Fedrico Sanesi classical dancers-Italy, to name a few. Since 1984, its dedication to performing arts and art education has been recognized by the Maharashtra Government by allotting a prime piece of land in Pune. Over the past four decades, through self-raised resources, it has been developed into various spaces including * Bahuroopi theatre), (an open-air theatre) * Darpan Art Gallery, (exhibition space) * Rangamandapam (a mini theatre) * Darshan (the dance studio) * Chitwan (the sadhana space) Kala Chhaya, true to its nature of inclusivity and adaptability, is continuously evolving, while incorporating new ideas of space design, its own productions and creations.  Kala Chhaya Cultural Center  Sanjeevani Kulkarni, working extensively at Nashik, for the last 40 years, and apart from imparting training she also has authored a few books on Kathak. Nandkishore Kapote, an SNA Awardee and a well-known Kathak artiste who has been working extensively in the field and has created a beautiful campus for the promotion of Kathak, in Nigdi, PCMC. Yogini Gandhi, a well-known Kathak and Odissi dancer, a sought-after compere, thinker. Vidula Kudekar, a well-trained dancer, completed her PH.D in Kathak, is a teacher par excellence and an examiner at various university levels. Deepa Bakshi, completed her M.A from SPPU in 2007, under the able guidance of Prabha Marathe and is currently continuing the teachings of her guru and the Lucknow gharana traditions in Nashik. Rashmi Jangam - Born into a family of performing artistes, Rashmi started learning Kathak from Guru Prabha Marathe at an early age. In the past couple of decades, she has blossomed into an artiste with a natural sense of grace and rhythm, qualities for which she was commended by Pt. Birju Maharaj, after watching her perform at the National Kathak Festival in New Delhi. Rashmi has been performing solo and with her peers in India and around the world. Rashmi heads the Dance Unit at Kala Chhaya, where her students have won laurels for their performances. She also mentors children to take their first steps in Kathak. She holds a Master's Degree in Psychology and her areas of research include dance as an aid to therapy. Following the footsteps of her Guru, and the legacy of Kala Chhaya, she has initiated many new projects at Kala Chhaya, like Rasadhvani, a platform for folk artistes and for classical forms as well. Pt. Birju Maharaj Nrutya Sangeet Mahotsav, has been recently initiated, which as the name aptly suggests will look into all the aspects of the performing arts, including the visual art. Keeping in line with our tradition, we presented Sushant Gaurav, disciple of Ustad Fasih ur Rehman, representing the Lahore-Lucknow gharana, who is reviving the old world charm of Kathak through presentations in only vilambit laya. The festival also hosted Durga Arya, prime disciple of Pt. Birju Maharaj, for her very first solo presentation in Pune. Kala Chhaya also supports artistes from humble socio-economic backgrounds, who are unable to perform due to age restrictions and find it difficult to sustain in today's day and age, by not only providing a nominal financial aid but by bringing in their art through platforms that can reach more audiences. As the name denotes, KALA CHHAYA, this space is in its true sense a canopy of art under whose shade several individuals and allied branches have blossomed over the years! The Japanese have a beautiful understanding, "To be an artiste is to be enlightened", and disciples at Kala Chhaya have been blessed to have had an opportunity to be on that path, through the artiste like Guru Prabha Marathe who is enlightened with sheer commitment, dedication, sadhana and unwavering devotion towards her guru. We at Kala Chhaya, feel an enduring connection with the precious legacy that Prabhatai has introduced and inculcated within each one of us and I am sure each of us will strive to uphold it to the best of our ability. That would be the most befitting offering to our Guru, Prabhatai Marathe.  Ashish Khokar presenting a copy of AttenDance (Pune special) to Prabha Marathe  Critic, connoisseur, historian, author, artivist, archivist, administrator and more - editor, columnist and mentor Ashish Khokar remains true to his muse. More on attendance-india.com Response * Thanks, Ashish ji, for your tribute. You take me back to the year 1990 when I did my first professional debut at Kala Chhaya under Guru Munna Lal Shukla ji in the presence of Prabha Marathe ji. And it has been my fortune and good luck that I could perform in front of her last year 2024 on the 7th December to celebrate Guru Munna Lal Shukla’s birthday on the invite of Rashmi ji. Some golden moments have been weaved into my life at Kala Chhaya under blessing of Prabha Marathe ji. - Alaknanda kathak. New Delhi (Jan 4, 2026) Post your comments Please provide your name along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
