My guru Dr. Rohini Bhate

The life of Pt. Rohini Bhate is devotion to Kathak and its further evolution. Having learnt from yesteryears’ stalwarts like Pt. Lacchu Maharaj and Pt. Mohanrao Kalyanpurkar, Rohiniji has been performing and teaching Kathak for over half a century. I had the privilege of learning from her for over 15 years under Guru- Shishya Parampara.

Rohiniji helped develop a deep insight of Kathak and the love for the art in me. In my long association with her, she nurtured and eveolved my thinking and the outlook about Kathak and how, the art must be performed keeping its tradition intact.

Rohiniji’s style is unique, drawing the rich and beautiful aspects from the Jaipur and Lucknow gharanas, she has further enriched the art with her in depth multi-faceted scholarship. Her study of music compliments her literary understanding thus creating innovative and highly lyrical compositions.

Smt. Sharidini Gole

Sharadiniji is one of the first disciples of Pt. Rohini Bhate and a Guru par excellence. She is responsible for introducing me to this art form and to Bebi Tai (as we all fondly like to call Rohiniji). Her presentation of Kathak is extremely rich which she has successfully passed to her disciples. She has this rare ability to teach this complex art in a manner that very young students can easily understand and imbibe. I was initiated into Kathak at a young age by Sharadiniji and have learnt and closely observed her art as well as her method of teaching in my over 12 years’ of association with her.