Lucknow, Dec. 20 -- When three-generations of Kathak's Lucknow Gharana performed together at Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya on Friday, it was as if the legacy of the gurus came to life on stage. Pandit Shambhu Maharaj's son Pandit Rammohan Maharaj; his nephews and Pandit Birju Maharaj's sons, Pandit Jaikishan Maharaj and Pandit Deepak Maharaj; and Pandit Jaikishan Maharaj's son, Tribhuvan Maharaj were in the city for BSV's centenary year celebrations. They shared their plans for enriching the art form while also sharing the legacy of Kathak. Tribhuvan Maharaj, explained that today the Kathak of the Lucknow Gharana is no longer limited to Lucknow as people from many countries are now learning Kathak. "At present, more than 200 foreign students are learning Kathak from us online. I am trying to connect the new generation to the tradition I inherited by blending it with modernity so that Kathak feels fresh while its classical essence remains intact," he said. He said that he has tried preserving the heritage through rigorous practise from childhood, and later connected it with technology. "Earlier, sarod, sitar, tabla, and harmonium were sufficient for accompaniment. Today, I use special effects along with instruments from around the world - such as South African drums and European string instruments. However, even while using these, I ensure that classical purity is heard," said Tribhuvan Maharaj. Pandit Rammohan Maharaj, explained that Kathak came from Handiya village near Allahabad, where there was a tradition of narrating the stories of Ram and Krishna through expressions and gestures. "Due to famine, artistes were displaced and came to Lucknow, where they received patronage from the Nawabs. Later, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula gave these artistes a place in his court. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah gave Kathak a new colour; he himself learned Kathak from my great-grandfather, Thakur Prasad. After that, my grandfather Kalika Prasad and Bindadin Maharaj, along with the Nawab, infused Lucknow's delicacy and refinement into Kathak and established the Lucknow Gharana," he said....