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Pandit Kalika Prasad
The Kathak maestro Achchan Maharaj's father and guru Kalika Prasad was a resident of Banaras. While his brother Bindadin was a court dancer of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Kalika Prasad preferred to reside at Benaras and propagate the Kathak style of dancing and Thumri singing of his Gharana from that place. Both these brothers were responsible for promoting Kathak to a high pedestal of art and aesthetic. Besides dancing Kalika Prasad was an expert singer, especially he had profound knowledge of Thumri. He was an expert in Abhinaya - expressing the emotions in the Thumri songs, and in exhibiting the tenderness and Shringara Rasa. Many famous female Thumri singers of that time were his disciples. Kalika Prasad was a simple and social individual and was never proud of his achievements. He had a life of austerity. He had three sons - Achchan Maharaj, Baijnath Prasad (Luchchu Maharaj) and Shambhu Maharaj.