The name KUCHIPUDI denotes both the dance style that has come to prominence since the 50s and the tiny, remote village where it was born. KUCHIPUDI, Situated in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, it is 32 miles from Vijayawada. In fact it is the only classical dance form, rather art form in the world which has the same name as “KUCHIPUDI” for both classical dance form name and birthplace..
KUCHIPUDI has a great history. Six miles away from it lays Srikakulam, the ancient capital of the Satavahana Empire (2nd century BC). The rulers of the Satavahana dynasty were great patrons of art. From the inscriptions found here, on the temples of Andhra Vishnu, which was the most sacred shrine of those days, it is evident that no fewer than 300 devadasis consecrated to the deity, received royal patronage. The sculptures excavated in this area have crystallized into stone the effulgent grace of those women whose dance was an act of worship. As any other art form, dance also enjoyed the patronage of rulers prior to the advent of KUCHIPUDI style in its present accent, because of the prevalence of the devadasi system. In course of time, unfortunately devadasis became the victim’s feudal abuse. Siddhappa, released from his family ties, came to be known as Siddhappa or Siddhendra Yogi. He began to propagate the Bhama cult, also known as Madhura Bhakti, like Satyabhama, every devotee imagines Lord Krishna to be the Supreme Lover, the Lokabharata, and himself to be cast in the image of Satyabhama, longing to unite with Sri Krishna and keep him entirely to herself. Song after song poured out of the heart, at the separation from her divine lover, into these inspired works. The songs compiled together became the vehicle of a dance drama of unsurpassed beauty and came to be called BHAMAKALAPAM. But Siddhendra Yogi feared that, since the theme centered to the romantic love between Sri Krishna and Satyabhama and since the dancers already excelled in the art of portraying the SRINGARA rasa or romantic love, they may exaggerate the sentiments and destroy its lofty spiritual ethos. Naturally he decided to initiate only young and good-looking Brahmin boys into the art. He taught them the Bhamakalapam Song. Fortune smiled at them then the last of the Golconda Nawabs, Abdul Hasan Tanisha, who was a connoisseur of the arts and letters, saw them perform while passing through the village. As rewards for their superb performance, he presented to them this village named KUCHIPUDI.
In its technical aspects also KUCHIPUDI meticulously follows the rules laid down in the Natya Sastra as, for example for the six PADABHEDAS, mentioned in the 10th chapter, verse 253: Udghattita, Sama, Agratala-Sanchara, Anchita, Kunchita and Suchi. The 67 Hasta-mudras, which include 13 Samyuta, 24 Asamyuta and 32 Nrittahastas, as mentioned in chapter 9, verses 3-17 in the Natya Sastra, are all to be found in KUCHIPUDI, also the 108 Karanas and also the Charis and Mandala are part of the KUCHIPUDI repertoire. In Natya Sastra, the verse defining a Karana is precisely applicable to KUCHIPUDI in all its technical details. In accordance with the imperative of classical dance, KUCHIPUDI is evenly balanced between the three aspects of dance: Nritta, Nritya and Natya without one element overshadowing another. Each and every KUCHIPUDI performance is illustrative of this fact. The Jathis or rhythmic sequences punctuating or concluding a verse or song are nritta. The Sabdams in which an interpretative line alternates with a rhythmic passage are nritya, while the dance dramas depicting a continuous story with a number of characters are natya. This kind of complete and clear-cut classifications is not found in the other classical styles of India. The four aspects of abhinaya, i.e., Angika, Vachika, Aharya and Satvika are also to be found in ample measure in KUCHIPUDI style. Rasaprakarana or the delineation of the appropriate sentiment is done with these four elements of abhinaya. While angika and aharya are performed in a manner not very different from the other classical styles, the use of vachika abhinaya is a special feature of the KUCHIPUDI style. The dancer not merely dances, but also acts with gestures as well as words. The KUCHIPUDI artiste should learn to sing with his voice, interpret the meaning of the song with his gestures, express the sentiments with face and eyes and echo the rhythm with his feet. Satvikabhinaya is also taught to the students with great care and diligence. While the eyes become the mirror of the soul, the face becomes a veritable playground of varied emotions which being natural and spontaneous evokes instant response from the audience. Hence ,Considering Natya Sastra ,KUCHIPUDI is the only Classical dance form in India which follows Natyasastra to 100%.
The KUCHIPUDI style is a dance drama based on classical treatise on the subject, particularly Bharata’s Natya Sastra.Nattuva Mela has developed into Bharata Natyam and Natya Mela into the KUCHIPUDI dance. A classical dance has a wonderful tradition, rules and regulations, and a code of conduct to follow strictly. Literally, KUCHIPUDI dance is a classic. Dance means ‘ Natya’ – broadly speaking. The word ‘Natya’ according to Bharatha Muni is applicable to dance-drama form, with characters, customs, classical music, abhinaya and dialogue where necessary. In respect, ‘KUCHIPUDI Natya’ can be acclaimed as one of the foremost classical dance in India. In ancient Indian, we had only this dance-drama. All the Sanskrit plays were produced on the lines of dance-dramas; only stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata were taken into consideration. Late Sri Vedantam Lakshmi Naryayana Sastry who passed away during the ’50s that KUCHIPUDI today enjoys respectability (though not general acceptability). He was a real foundation of knowledge and departed radically from convention by teaching the art to women dancers among whom was the eminent exponent of Bharata Natyam, Balasarasvati. She publicly declared that her training under him had opened her eye to a new fascinating world of beauty and sublime. It was he who introduced the dance on the (brass plate) in the Balagopala Tarangam sequence in KUCHIPUDI with a view to imparting variety and vibrancy to the style. This is not a gimmick, nor is it an effort to bring in irrelevant acrobatics. Such sequences reveal the artiste’s mastery over rhythmic complexities.Any art has to adapt itself to the aesthetic sensibilities of changing times. It was with this idea in view the pioneer Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry initiated women also into this discipline. Vempati Chinna Satyam garu-the legend,is one who choreographed several solo recitals and made KUCHIPUDI world famous. Great Gurus like Vedantam Lakshminarayana, Chinta Krishna Murthy,Pasumarthi’s,Mahamkali’s etc dedicated their lives to the “Panchamavedham”,resulting in the most sacred art form “ KUCHIPUDI “in the worldmap to the World.Today we see women playing even men’s roles. Dance, like music, know no geographical boundaries, no linguistic barriers and no racial divisions. All walls crumble where art is concerned. It is a great unifying and integrating force. Hence, KUCHIPUDI is not just an entertainment but an education for the well being of nation and its people which throws light on wisdom to the world where there will be only cooperation but no competition and thereby universal peace.
FIRST GURU:
SRI MAHAMKALI SURYANARAYANA SARMA
Guru Sri NATYACHARYA Mahamkali Suryanarayana Sarma,laid a very strong foundation to Achutamanasa for about 3 years and made her perform “Jathiswaram” at a very tender age of 7 in the Village named “Kuchipudi” for the very 1st time at such an auspicious place and stage.He was the first guru who made Achutamanasa perform for 1hr continuously yet again at very tender age of 8 on the hilltop of IndhraKeeladhri(Durga Temple). He is Guru in Kuchipudi,Bharatanatyam, Music and Pandit in Sahitya Vidya Praveena. His father YAKSHAGANA Chakravarthy is a legend in YAKSHAGANA who belongs to Kuchipudi. Sri.Mahamkali Suryanarayana Sarma was felicitated by Presidents of India like:Sri.R.Venkataraman,Sri Sankar Dayal Sharma,Vice Presidents:Sri Krishna Kanth,(Late)Chennareddy,(Late) Vengal Rao and Sri ChandraBabu Naidu and Sri Dr.Y.S.Rajashekarreddy etc. He was honoured by many famous personalities from political parties to Film legends , State CMs to Kuchipudi legends in and across the globe for his programmes through his institute ‘Tirumala Art academy’ at various countries like:USA, London, Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Bhutan, Thailand etc. He was awarded with “Natya Kalanidhi”,”Yakshagana Nritya Nataka Kovida”, ”Natya Kala Prapurna”, ”Natya Kovida”, Sangeeta Sahitya Kovida” for his tremendous services to Kuchipudi,livingup to his Kuchipudi family tradition to modertimes.
PRESENT GURU:
SRI KAZA VENKATA SUBRAHMANYAM
Shri KAZA VENKATA SUBRAHMANYAM
Achutamanasa was moulded as a complete Kuchipudi danseuse by “DEVAPARIJATAM”, ”RAJAHAMSA”, ”NATYAVISARADHA” GURU SRI K.V.SUBRAHMANYAM, a disciple of the legend Guru Sri.Dr.Vempati Chinna Satyam and Guru Sri Chintha Adhinarayanasarma .
Sri K.V. Subrahmanyam is based in Guntur, AndhraPradesh. He holdsM.A. in Telugu Literature and M.A goldmedalist in Kuchipudi Dance- received from his excellency the then Governor SushilKumar Shindey, 2005. He also holds M.phil in Kuchipudi and a Diploma in Bharatanatyam from Pottisriramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad. He has also been awarded junior fellowship in 1999-2001 by the Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resources Department, Govt. of India. Sri K.V.Subrahmanyam, is famous for his best compositions like Devistuti, Kamakshistuti, Annamaya krithis, Thillanas, Tarangams etc. He is able in declinating subtle naunces in Abhinaya, as wellas Tala Variations in Pure Dance. Sri K.V. Subrahmanyam was awarded the Best Natyacharya Award by Kalanilayam, Chilakaluripet,AndhraPradesh. In the past 30Years he has performed all overthe country and across the globe like Singapore, Thailand, Andaman etc and trained over 100 students for Certificate course, Diploma Examinations conducted by Telugu University .He organized '12 hrs Akanda Annamaya Sankeerthana Nrithyabhinaya Yagnam’ for the first time in Guntur and released a book on Annamaya krithis on his research of Alimelumanga-a Danseuse,which was appreciated in and across the globe by all the art lovers. The very next event organized was ‘Kuchipudi Nrithya Mahayagnam’ by 108 students, which has got wide range appreciation for the unique theme set as-108 students perform Ganapati Kautham (since 108 forms of ganesha), 64-Endharo Mahanu Bhavulu (since 64 artforms), 27-Bhamakalapam (count of Satyabamas nakshatras on her hairplot is 27), 18-Mahishasura mardhini (Ashtadasa pitas), 9-Tharangam(Natya is composition navarasas), 4-Thillana(Natya formed from chathurvedhas), 2-Thandava(God&Godess for dance Siva &parvathi), 1-Ashtapadhi(108beeds chain starts and ends from 1-1 performed by Guru K.V.Subrahmanyam,etc, events got succeeded in winning hearts of critics, audience through his Institute Sri Sai Manjeera Kuchipudi art academy, Guntur, AndhraPradesh, India. Phno: 9849519425.
With the Blessings of GURU SRI CHINTHA ADHINARAYANA SARMA,
GURU SRI PANDIT.ANJU BABU
GURU SRI DEVENDHRA PILLAI
The name KUCHIPUDI denotes both the dance style that has come to prominence since the 50s and the tiny, remote village where it was born. KUCHIPUDI, Situated in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, it is 32 miles from Vijayawada. In fact it is the only classical dance form, rather art form in the world which has the same name as “KUCHIPUDI” for both classical dance form name and birthplace..
