Kuchipudi — rare glimpses
V.A.K. RANGA RAO
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Organised by Sailaja, the two-day event offered food for thought.
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RICH IN CONTENT: (Left) Yamini Krishnamurthi lights the lamp at the inauguration as the Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, dancer Sailaja and the Music Academy president, N. Murali look on.
The first ever dance seminar on Kuchipudi in Chennai organised by Sailaja, at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on September 27 and 28, was both entertaining and enlightening.
A documentary on the tripartite excellence that is Yamini Krishnamurti (Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi) opened the seminar. If there were youngsters in the audience who had not seen Yamini on stage or on TV, it was fitting introduction to her individualistic style that was at one time, often imitated but never equalled.
The theme for the seminar: Tradition, Transition and Transformation. This can be applied to any art form — literature, performing and visual arts etc., — but to use it as a measuring stick, for the first seminar on Kuchipudi, was a sensible decision on part of Sailaja. Stating the theme at the beginning of the inaugural session, Sialaja added that Kuchipudi represented a rich and regional culture steeped in tradition.
The origin
Dance presentation.
In his brief presidential speech N. Murali, president, The Music Academy, said: When started by Siddhendra Yogi centuries ago, it was meant only for men and Brahmins from a particular village but over the years, under gurus like Vedantham Lakshminarayana Sastri and Vempati China Satyam, it was expanded its roster. Yamini said that transition is a constant process, in her key-note address.
In the inaugural speech, His Excellency Sri Surjit Singh Barnala, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, pointed out that dance is mentioned in the Rigveda and that the tarangam in the Kuchipudi style has a niche all its own. The vote of thanks was by Narayana Vishwanath, who has been presenting folk-dance from all over India, in the recent past at the Bhavan, as Member (Programme) of South Zone Cultural Centre.
P. Sangeetha Rao, the musical spine for many of Chinna Satyam’s ballets, explained that he was mainly inspired by the melodies of Tyagaraja and Kshetrayya.
Rohini Prasad and Lata Prasad, illustrated the adavu samu (practice of adavus) of Kuchipudi with their guru Bhagavathula Seturam. Impeccable, meticulous with some rare gleams it was impressive.
Deserving honours
Vedantham Ramalinga Sastri explained how Satyabhama as we know her now, was largely the handiwork of Siddhendra Yogi, author of ‘Bhama Kalapam,’ Vedantham Radheshyam said that the next great vaggeyakara of Kuchipudi and Bhagavathula Ramayya (Golla Kalapam).
Yamini Krishnamurti, Sonal Mansingh, Bala Kondala Rao, singers Kanakadurga, S. Rajeswari, masters from Kuchipudi Bhagavathula Seturam, Vedantham Radheshyam, Ramalinga Sastri, doyen P. Sangeetha Rao personally and K.J. Sarasa, Radha-Raja Reddy, Nandini Ramani through deputies, received the honours. Surprisingly, there was neither a message nor a representation from Vempati Chinna Satyam. It would have been fitting if Prasad, Chinna Satyam’s nephew and factotum who was present had stood-in.
The morning session of the second day had as bonus. Yamini doing abhinayam for ‘Yaduvamsa sudhambudhi Chandra,’ as Bala Kondala Rao sang. She is no longer svelte, but the sizzle is intact. Sonal made the point that there is constant movement in ‘parampara’ (tradition) — it could be oblique, sideways, forward.
Well-balanced was Sailaja’s lecture-demonstration (the last three decades saw a great amount of change — solo items of today are bits and pieces from dance drama — Rajani, B. Gopalam and Sangeetha Rao moulded the music, Drs. Arudra and Pappu helped by their scholarship) which included both guru Chinna Satyam’s and her own choreography. The elements were the same, the expression different, as richly detailed, as typically flavourful.
Anupama Kylash talked about the changes in the technical aspects, stage-craft, make-up, video support, etc. The subject she chose for the item was old, but she painted Rama in fresh alfresco colours.
Awesome performances
All styles changed for the better due to great gurus, said Vyjayanthi Kashi. Kshemavathy transcended her age. Explicit and exquisite was her sringara, through her Gita Govindam suite.
The performances were a joy to behold. Yamini Reddy’s virtuosity and precision were awesome. The energy of Vedantham Radheshyam (sutradhar) and his two sons Satya Narasimha (Hiranyakasipu) Vara Prasad (as the milk-maid in the morning, minister in the evening), overdrawn and over done, thrilled the audience with raw energy. Prashanti Ganeshram, slim and beautiful, did justice to her guru Sailaja. Bala Kondala Rao’s fame as a teacher was upheld by the dance of her younger son Aditya Bullibrahmam and the wife of her mridangist elder son Anand Srihari, Amuktamalyada. Soushtava on parade. Uma Muralikrishan paid a tribute to Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Durga. The first two were gold, the last Natinum in its filling up of minute musical phrases.
Vyjayanthi Kashi’s Kuchipudi was a blend of the old and the new. Even in her avant-grade item, the Kuchipudi element was palpable. Her make-up (K. Kanakaraj) was kept neutral so that she could merge into Mohini, Ardhanari and the abstract finale of the five elements.
So what were the flaws? Absence of a question and answer session. Cramming nine to ten hours of programmes a day. The sound and light were excellent. (Murugan-Livi Kumar).
The dancers of Chennai were conspicuous by their absence. Their loss. Beauty, commitment and a constant yearning to excel are qualities that are to be imitated, imbibed and internalised, for any art-form.
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