Like a star in the sky

As one of the finest Kathak exponents in the country passes away at 94, we remember Sitara Devi’s zest for life, her candidness and immense contribution to the world of dance

Sitara Devi

Aditi Mangaldas

Kathak dancer

I once had the most prestigious opportunity of being in her dressing room and selecting a costume for her. She was so full of life and wanted to adorn herself in colours— That is what was so special about her complete
surrender to dance.

Pandit Birju Maharaj

Kathak guru

Sitara didi was one of the most open-hearted women I have known in my life. She learnt from my father, and the respect in that department was immense.The finesse in her dance was something very few have been able to achieve. And how pretty she was! I remember when I got married and we are talking of times when boys got married at 19-20. I was really young and didi was asked by my mother to take care of the new bride. I went and whispered in her ear ‘Didi hum nayi bahu ke paas nahi jayenge’. She laughed and said. ‘Achha aaj yahin so jao. Lekin kal nayi bahu ke kamre mein jaana hi padega’. It is so embarrassing to narrate this now, but it shows how close we were.

Shanta Sarabjeet Singh

Dance critic

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Sitaraji was not just a Kathak dancer, she was a maverick musician who brought Kathak into the limelight. She moved away from feudal systems and the gharana parampara. She was also one of the most outspoken and narcissistic people I knew. She would stand on stage and pick on dancers such as Birju Maharaj and Uma Sharma and believe me, she was biting in those sentences she threw at them. It was a difficult life; led colourfully. If it wasn’t for her, Kathak would have languished.

Hema Malini

Actor

Sitara Devi was one of the warmest people I have known. I have had the fortune of hosting her a few times at my house as well. I met her for the first time after one of my performances. This was during the making of Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968) and Raj Kapoor sahab was also in the audience. Once the show was over, she came up to me, and told me that I was a promising talent, and that I should continue to dance, and not give it up for a career in films. What she preached, she also practised. Sitara Devi danced till the very end. Only when she had an accident — a fall in the bathroom at the age of 85, leading to an injury, did she stop performing in public.

Kumudini Lakhia

Dancer-choreographer

She was born to dance. I met her nearly 25 years ago in Ahmedabad. She had injured her leg, but she still wanted to dance. She was also one of the first women to perform Kathak in public. When we performed together, the audience always had their eyes on Sitara. You’d only see her dressed in beautiful saris with make-up, jewellery and flowers.

Rama Vaidyanathan

Bharatanatyam dancer

I didn’t know her personally, but I have grown up watching her dance. She had a lot of spunk and spark on stage and danced with a sense of liberation. When she refused to accept the Padma Shri, I wasn’t surprised because she was a woman who lived on her own terms. I have immense respect and regard for her.

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