Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Surabhi drama festival from November 1

Staff Reporter

Mythological plays to be staged in Vizag

HYDERABAD: The 121-year-old Surabhi drama tradition where members of a single family enact and stage mythological dramas will now go to Visakhapatnam.

After 412 shows at the Lalitha Kala Thoranam over the last 20 months, the 65-member family troupe comprising elders to children, will present five of its popular mythological dramas at Turners' Choultry in Visakhapatnam from November 1.

R.Nageswara Rao of Sri Venkateswara Natyamandali (Surabhi) said `Sri Krishna Leelalu', `Maya Bazar', `Balanagamma', `Veerabrahmamgari Charitra' and `Lava Kusha' would be presented in Visakhapatnam till November 22.

Revival of tradition

The invitation by the Vizag-based Cultural Foundation in a way revived Surabhi's tradition of performing in different town and cities, said Modali Nagabhushan Sarma here on Tuesday. "We are hopeful that more invitations would come from different cities and towns," he said.

Surabhi, founded by Vanarasa Govindarao and Vanarasa Chinaramayya in 1885 at Surabhi village in Kadapa district, had over 50 drama troupes -- all in the same family -- in its heyday but over the decades due to financial difficulties only five `Nataka Samajams' survived and had been carrying on the tradition.

Unique tradition

Surabhi deserved a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records, as nowhere in the world such a family drama troupe existed for so long, said well-known stage artiste Burra Subramanya Sastry.

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