Evocative choreography
A. RAMALINGA SASTRY
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The mythological tale of `Kacha Devayani - Sharmishta Yayathi' was well presented.
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PERFECT RHYTHM Artistes engrossed in the dance ballet `Kacha Devayani - Sharmishta Yayathi' . Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
The Visakha Music and Dance Academy recently featured a dance ballet, Kacha Devayani - Sarmishta Yayathi, scripted by Polavarapu Koteswara Rao. Bhagavathula Venkata Rama Sarma choreographed and directed the ballet for Sri Nrityakalasala, an institute he runs at Vijayawada.
Lack of quality in poetic conception and expression notwithstanding, the lyrics, interspersed with a few dialogues and commentary in prose, helped reveal the stories clearly. The first part depicted Brihaspati's son Kacha approaching Sukracharya to learn Mritasanjeevani vidya, Sukra's daughter Devayani falling in love with Kacha, who rejects her. The second part started with the introduction of king Vrishaparva and his daughter Sarmishta who throws Devayani into a well, Devayani getting rescued by king Yayathi, their marriage, Yayathi's second marriage to Sarmishta and other twists and turns in the plot.
The choreography reflected all glimpses of the Veedhibhagavatha mela tradition of the good old days. The fine music set by K. Surya Narayana, whose intoning of the dialogues and commentary had a musical lilt, kept the audience glued to their seats.
Everyone in the cast danced well, exhibiting good team spirit. Suhasini as Devayani looked a little exuberant while Madhuri as Sarmishta was bashful. Soumya as Kacha and Yayathi did exceedingly well. Vithal as Rishaparva , Tajuddin as Sukra, Ramakrishna as the mantri, Purva as one of the rakshasas with John, Deepthi and Jayanthi as the chelikathelu, gave out their best in sustaining the tempo. Nattuvangam by Sarma himself, well supported on the violin by P. Ananjaneyulu, M. Vijayakumar on mridangam and Ashok Kumar on keyboard, was very good. Surabhi Raghuram with make-up and Bhaskar handling the lighting were assets.
Literary events
In separate events last week, Visakhapatnam witnessed two book release functions. Organised by Telugubhasha Samvardhini Samithi, the first was held in the Bhuvana Vijayam hall of B.V.K. College with noted scholar G.V.S.L.N. Raju in the chair. Professor (retd.) and HoD of Telugu, Bangalore University, Tangirala Venkata Subba Rao who was chief guest released and reviewed the book Anuraagaalu - Aatmeeyathalu, a collection of 57 pieces of kavithalu (poems) of Rachakonda Narasimha Sarma, an octogenarian doctor. He was in the U.S. for about four decades, serving various medical assignments in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and VA Hospital in Lebanon (PA) from 1967 till he returned home in May 2004. Even during that period, he honed his skills by contributing poems to English and Telugu magazines published there. All his kavithalu, including the 57 contained in the book released last week, are verses in free style. .
They are all aesthetically construed poetic expressions of the poet's experiences written in a reader-friendly idiom. Hence, they create an empathetic effect on the reader. Pilla Rama Rao, ex-principal of B.V.K. College, renowned poets, J. Bapu Reddy (IAS), Bulusu Venkateswarlu, D.V. Surya Rao, Kondepudi Subba Rao, Mangu Sivarama Prasad, HoD (retd.) of Telugu, Delhi University, Rajeswari Sankaran and G. Nirmala, principal (retd.), AMC, attended. The second function, held under the aegis of `Aham Brahmasmi Satsang' at Kalabharati, had its president M. Satyanarayana Raju in the chair. Former minister Bhattam Srirama Murthy was guest of honour and released the book Dhyaanam authored by the founder of the Satsang `Brahmavadini' Karra Suryakantham.
An English translation (which she did herself) of her Telugu book Aatmadarsini, an album of pictures of various postures of yoga sadhana and a CD were also released on the occasion. Secretary of the local branch of Ramakrishna Mission, Swamy Amrithananda Maharaj, spoke on the occasion. Speaking in English and Telugu, the Brahmavadini elaborated on the philosophy of her books.
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