Actor and television personality Pooja Bedi recently spoke about one of the most heartbreaking yet deeply spiritual chapters of her life — the untimely death of her mother, the legendary Odissi dancer Protima Bedi. In a candid conversation, Pooja shared that her mother’s passing was not only sudden but also shrouded in mystery, as her body was never found after she was caught in a landslide while trekking in the Himalayas.
Protima Bedi, remembered for her fearless attitude, bohemian lifestyle, and path-breaking contribution to Indian classical dance, had always lived life on her own terms. According to Pooja, her mother also embraced death in a way that mirrored her philosophy of freedom and fearlessness. “She always wanted to live wild and free, and she chose a journey that matched her spirit. She died the way she wanted, amidst nature, in the mountains she loved. Her body was never found, and that in itself tells you how she merged into the elements she admired all her life,” Pooja reflected.
Protima, who founded Nrityagram, India’s first dance village near Bengaluru, had been on a spiritual and adventurous quest during her final days. The landslide that took her life occurred in 1998, when she was trekking to Kailash Mansarovar — a pilgrimage known for its extreme challenges. For the family, the tragedy was devastating, but Pooja explained that with time, she came to view it as a poetic closure to her mother’s unconventional journey.
“She was never someone who feared death. She was more afraid of not living fully,” Pooja added, emphasizing how her mother’s legacy continues to inspire people across generations to embrace life without fear or limitations.
Protima Bedi’s passing remains a subject of both sorrow and admiration — sorrow because of the void it left in the world of art and in the lives of her loved ones, and admiration because of the fearless manner in which she lived and departed. For Pooja, the absence of a physical body was not just a loss but also a reminder of her mother’s philosophy that true freedom comes when one is no longer bound by earthly attachments.
Today, decades later, Protima Bedi continues to be celebrated not only as a pioneering dancer but also as a woman who challenged conventions, broke stereotypes, and dared to live her truth. And in Pooja Bedi’s words, her mother’s final journey was simply an extension of the fearless life she had always embraced.
