Prahlada on stage
A. RAMALINGA SASTRY
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The popular episode on Prahlada was presented in Kuchipudi form.
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SPIRITUAL DRAMA Vedantam Chalapati Rao at Kalabharati in Visakhapatnam. PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Deriving a form based on Yakshaganas separately scripted by Vedala Thirunarayanacharyulu and Thiruvalkeli Ramanujacharyulu, Guru Chinta Venkataramaiah incorporated many poems from the Telugu Bhagavatham and popularised the ballet Prahlada as well.
This used to be performed as a serial three to four nights a week and an abridged yet modern version of it was performed in Kalabharathi in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday evening by Vedantam Venkata Naga Chalapathi and his team.
The one-and-a-half hour show marked the first evening of the five-day Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Sri Vijaya Thyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha. Inaugurating the fete, former Mayor and Chairman, Bar Council of India, D.V. Subba Rao felt happy that the first organised and registered sabha was in Visakhapatnam was celebrating its diamond jubilee. Founded and managed by stalwarts in their respective fields, doctors like Sripada Pinakipani (renowned musician ) and late P. Brahmmayya Sastry, lawyers like late W.V. Rama Rao, musicians like the legendary violinist late Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu and so on, it survived for 60 years. It not only featured monthly recitals of stalwart musicians from all over the country but also held competitions in classical music annually. The first prize winners in the senior category were awarded gold medals and today all of them are internationally recognised artistes.
Past glory
Back to the performance, it went strictly on traditional lines and reflected the glory of the past. Chalapathi Rao who expertly choreographed and directed the ballet, himself lived the role of Hiranyakasipu. Child artiste Meenakshi as Prahlada, Bhagavathula Sitarama Sarma as Vinayaka and Nrusimhaswamy, Tadepalli Satyanarayana as Leelavathi, Rohini and Santhosini as the Chelis and Nartakis, Pasumarthi Mrutyumjaya Sarma and Tadepalli Sai Krishna played the role of the Ministers. Chinta Ravi Balakrishna as Davvarika did well sustaining the tempo. The backdrop of music which in equal measure contributed grandeur, had excellent vocals and nattuvangam by D.S.V. Sastry, violin by A. Satyavishal, mridangam by P. Harinadha Sastry and flute by S. Kumar Babu. Chinta Balakrishna also weilded the cymbals expertly in patches. Make-up by A. Ramu and A. Lakshmi was an asset. Prior to the ballet, there was half an hour veena recital by the local artiste S. Srivani.
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