Latest news with #KuchipudiRangapravesham
Hans India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
A Radiant Kuchipudi Debut Captivates the Audience
The 'Kuchipudi Rangapravesham' of Pranathi Pulijala took place last Sunday evening at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Auditorium, Kothi. 'Kim Aham', the school of Indian classical dance founded by Acharya Avijit Das, is based in Bangalore. Here, students are introduced to Indian mythology and philosophy through dance, which is considered an innate emotion that brings a shared sense of joy and celebration to life. Avijit, after beginning his training under Sanaka Biswas at 'Shantiniketan' at an early age, continued learning at the 'Kuchipudi Art Academy' under the guidance of Vedantham Ramu and Srimayi Vempati. Over the years, he has gone on to establish an international reputation. He is the recipient of the prestigious 'Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' from the Central 'Sangeet Natak Akademi', Delhi. With his intense conviction in the modern interpretation of classical dance, he challenges the audience to rejuvenate their aesthetic sense—like a glimpse in the mirror—through a firebrand style full of thoughtfulness and depth, both in performance and teaching. Pranathi, the debutante of the evening, is a passionate 17-year-old with a keen dedication to 'Kuchipudi'. She is all set to join 'Indiana University' in the USA to major in 'Business Management'. For the past seven years, she has been groomed with rigorous fidelity to the classical style. A regular participant in her school's annual programs, she has also performed at various venues. Pranathi was the only young talent to receive the 'CCRT scholarship' for Kuchipudi that year from the state of Karnataka—an accomplishment that deserves appreciation. The orchestra, entirely composed of outstation artists, was an auditory delight. The 'nattuvangam' was handled with bravura by Avijit Das himself. Omkar Amarnath provided vibrant vocals, Nagaraj delivered dynamic percussion on the 'mridangam', Raghu Simha played delicate cascades on the 'flute', and Niveditha Arun added melodious trills on the 'veena'. Light and stage décor were handled with customary élan by Hyderabad's incomparable stagecraft maestro, Basavaraju. As the last notes of the traditional invocatory prayer 'Vani Paraku' wafted through the air, the lights dimmed and brightened to reveal Pranathi in a fetching pink 'aharya' as 'Ganesha Pancharatnam' commenced the recital. She was in command of the stage from the outset, with a 'savoir-faire' expected of a mature artiste. With precise steps matching the beats of the music, her grasp of 'laya' and 'tala' was evident. The 'nritta' was well-paced, energetic, and sketched out with flair. The depiction of Lord 'Vighneshwara'—holding a sweetmeat ('modaka') in hand and adorned with the crescent moon—was vivid. He is the protector of the world, fearsome to the unworthy, and saluted by all the 'Devas'. As 'Nidhiswara', the god of prosperity, and 'Gajeshwara', with an elephant head, he leads the 'Ganas' as 'Ganeshwara'. Appropriate postures were depicted through 'angika abhinaya', adding substance as the stanzas described him as 'Kripakara' (grace-giver) and 'Kshamakara' (forgiver). Joy and glory emanate from 'Mudakara' and 'Yashaskara'. Manifold praises abound for the one who destroys demons and delusions alike. The 'Krishna Shabdam', based on the life of Lord Krishna, followed. The 'Gopika' extols Krishna in a devotional plea, referencing him as powerful as the ocean, handsome as a myriad 'Manmathas', and of enormous strength. The refrain calls for the Lord to come to her, and Pranathi was charming in that guise, putting heartfelt expression into the 'abhinaya' portion, much to the delight of the audience. Her countenance radiated the depth of yearning for the Lord. Interestingly, traces suggesting the 'shabdam' may originally have been in praise of a ruler are apparent, such as mentions of a king valorous to foes and generous to poets. The 'Tarangam', 'Kalaya Yashode', offered scope for showcasing the dancer's dexterity and balancing abilities. The stories of 'Govardhana Giri' and 'Kaliya Mardhanam' were included. The artiste's face sparkled eloquently as the many facets of the Lord's mischievous and divine nature unfolded. The one who wears the 'Kaustubha' gem is also the expert stealer of butter! The 'Lakshmi Pravesha Daruvu' depicted Goddess 'Lakshmi', daughter of the Ocean and consort of the slayer of 'Mura'. The eight divine forms of 'Ashta Lakshmi' were portrayed in their glorious appearances. In a white and blue costume, Pranathi projected an elegantly beneficent mood. The 'Kalyani Thillana', dedicated to the beautiful sound of Krishna's flute by 'Balamuralikrishna', was a connoisseur's piece. All elements—vocals, instrumentals, and dance—fused perfectly in unison, creating a spectacular crescendo that brought forth well-deserved applause. Most of the items were choreographed by Avijit Das, demonstrating his imaginatively creative vision. 'Nandini Ramani', 'Deepika Reddy', and 'V.V. Ramani' graced the occasion as special guests.
Hans India
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
A radiant celebration of classical grace
Saturday was a gala occasion at Ravindra Bharathi as Ananya Parsa's debut Kuchipudi Rangapravesham took place with élan. She learns from Guru Smt. Khuberini, who was in turn a student of Padma Shri Dr. Sobha Naidu. Sri Venkateshwara Kuchipudi Academy has been established by her in North Carolina, U.S.A., where dance is imparted with sincerity to the students. Having staged many choreographies of her Guru and her own to applause in the U.S., Smt. Khuberini has never compromised on the integrity and beauty of her repertoire. She is a firm believer that pursuing arts does not interfere with academics but, in fact, sharpens learning skills. Ananya has been a disciple for eight years, devotedly cultivating her passion for Kuchipudi. She has embarked on her journey into classical dance with dreams in her heart, a glow on her face, and a twinkle in her eyes. She holds a competitive gold medal from ICMDA and aspires to pursue her career in engineering, architecture, and interior design. Festoons of floral décor were arranged, making the stage vibrant with color, and the lighting was handled masterfully by Basavaraju, who created a spectrum of effects. He focused in various angles to suit the mood, often bringing out the same hues as the aharya used and then altering them subtly to bring a rainbow variety to surfeit the vision! Ananya came onto the stage in a gold-colored costume, resembling an aureate statuette. Her trim shape enabled an elegant recital full of grace allied to energy and vigour. It must be understood that keeping in form is an essential part of dance training in order to perfect stamina, which sustains a long performance—something Ananya possessed in abundance! Ganapathi Talam in Nata is a composition often used in prayer and meditation. Ananya elaborated the lyrics through dance, praising Lord Ganesha's form and attributes while invoking his blessings for success. Rukmini Pravesha Daruvu is not performed as often as Satyabhama's in the same introductory theme vein. It is much more gentle and softly melodious in comparison. Kalyani raga perfectly matched the mood, as Ananya—in this sequence from Rukmini Kalyanam ballet choreographed by Padma Bhushan Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam—was in character as the idealised consort of Krishna. Her serene and innocent countenance was well depicted. Angika abhinaya and vachika abhinaya excelled. As pure as nectar, Rukmini wishes to be as self-effacing and inseparable as the flute on Lord Krishna's lips. Beloved of her Lord, she is as calmly pretty as moonlight. The humility of Rukmini is the opposite of the pride of Satyabhama. Every gesture was in tune, as this item was the highlight of the recital for its polish and refinement. The flow of the dance enchanted the audience. 'Koluvai Unnade' is a prabandham composed by Shahaji Maharaj, the Maratha ruler of Tanjore. In paced stanzas, it describes Shiva as radiating divinity in every pore—hands ornamented, feet with ankle bells, adorning snake armlets and shining gems, with a trident resting by his side. Thus, his presence is made magnificent to all viewers. He is the God of all Gods, chants the refrain. The delicately poised Nataraja stance demonstrated the precision in balance required by the young dancer. As light beams in crimson shades bathed the stage, Durga Tharangam was suitably vivid in verses extolling the devotional and poetic imagery steeped in the reverent bhakti of Narayana Teertha, classically exalting Goddess Durga as the embodiment of divine bliss and compassion. She is worshipped by sages, praised in the Vedas, and adored by celestial beings. The demanding jathis, done with skill on the brass plate, were the climax, eliciting ringing applause. Krishna was delightfully welcomed in 'Swagatham Krishna', brimming with nritta to match abhinaya and natya as the exploits of Krishna were depicted. The lifting of Govardhana and the Kaliya dance were included. As he engages and slays the wrestlers Chanura and Mushtika along withBalarama before destroying Kamsa, the impact was well appreciated by the audience. The movements in circular, swirling contours of this art form, differentiating it from others, were enunciated with clarity. The thillana rounded off the Rangapravesham traditionally, with pure dance movements and minimal sahityam. Lord Padmanabha is the deity eulogised in the Dhanashree Thillana of Swati Tirunal, which is an eternally popular part of the repertoire, as it showcases brisk movements to fast rhythmic patterns. Chiselled poses with virtuosity, allied with the finesse of the purest technique, conveyed the ecstasy of the human spirit when filled with divine bliss. Nattuvangam was by Kubherini and Srikanth, mridangam by Sridharacharya, flute by Venkateshwarlu, violin by Chander Rao, and the resonant vocals by Mrudu Ravali. Sudarshan was responsible for the excellent makeup. Sandhya Raju presided as Chief Guest.
