Tabla maestro Pandit Lacchu Maharaj passed away in Varanasi

Tabla maestro Pandit Lacchu Maharaj passed away in Varanasi on Thursday. He was 72. His family members said that he was being treated at a private nursing home where he passed away at 1 AM.

One of the frontline tabla players in the world, Pt Lacchu Maharaj’s funeral will take place on Friday.

Other than his professional performances all over the world, he played the tabla in many Bollywood films. He had married French woman Teena and she, along with their only daughter, is in Switzerland.

Thumri exponent Girija Devi, who also lives in Varanasi, condoled the death of the maestro and said such artists are not born every day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on the maestro’s demise in a tweet.

“Pt Lacchu Maharaj’s demise is a big loss to the world of Indian classical music. He was a widely admired musical maestro. My condolences.“