Natyaramam to promote Kuchipudi

US-based organisation joins hands with AP govt

The academy will be the focal point of local tourism development

Kuchipudi, a dance form that flourished during the 13th century under the “Guru-Sishya” tradition in a small village 400 km from Hyderabad in the present day Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, is poised for a revival. The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a Rs 100-crore plan to set up “Kuchipudi Natyaramam,” an exclusive academy for the promotion of the iconic dance form here in India and abroad.

Tucked away in the coastal belt of  Krishna district, just 40 km from Vijayawada, Kuchipudi village has a great history. The dance form named after the village itself found patronage from Satavahana kings  whose capital Srikakulam is just 6 km away. According to inscriptions found during excavations confirm that the ancient dance was performed by devadasis in praise of “Andhra Mahavishnu”.

Kshetrayya, the great composer of devotional “padams” on which the present day form of Kuchipudi dances are based was born in Movva village, 2 km from Kuchipudi. Kshetrayya was inspired by the Movva Venugopala, the main deity of the temple, and courtesans of the Satavahanas. Kuchipudi, a dance-drama form, is male oriented and was mostly practised by certain Brahmin families in the village.

However down the years, the birthplace of the great art deteriorated. The dance itself lost its patronage compared to Bharatanatyam, a dance form from Tamil Nadu. The first revival effort was made by Dr Chinta Ramanadham of the Siddhendra Kalakshetram School, which was founded in 1965.

The dance academy announced by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will be established under the chairmanship of Kuchibhotla Anand, an NRI who has been striving for reviving Telugu language and culture, through his US-based organisation “Silicon Andhra”. It had entered the Guinness World Records in 2012 for organising the largest Kuchipudi event in Hyderabad comprising 5,794 participants drawn from all over the world.

“The Mission of the Kuchipudi Natyaramam is to cultivate, promote, foster, and develop among Kuchipudi artistes, students, researchers, critics and the community at large, the appreciation, understanding, taste and love of Kuchipudi dance and its history,” Anand said. The academy will collect, classify, preserve and protect records, articles and subjects of historic interest; and will research, publish, promote and perpetuate the theory and practical aspects.

“The aim is also to select annually, one or more individuals, gurus, corporations, dance companies, associations or other institutions as honorees to be named in the Kuchipudi Art Hall of Fame,” he says. He wants Kuchipudi to become a focal point for dance lovers from all over the world.

The state-of-the-art Natyaramam will house an international institute of Kuchipudi, museum, performing arts centre, 3D theatre, library, hall of fame, seminar halls, open air stages and more. The most sophisticated multimedia and digital technology will be utilised to showcase the greatness of six centuries of Kuchipudi dance. It will be first of its kind for a classical dance in the world designed by world famous architects.

The Natyaramam will be the universal centre for everyone to gather for Gajje Poojas (arangetram) and ranga pravesams. The Natyaramam’s museum will house the largest collection of photographs, videos, costumes, documents, biographies and artefacts that honour all forms of Kuchipudi dance throughout history in digital form to be experienced by one and all.

The academy will house a world class library with a research centre which offers thousands of books, periodicals, digital content and print items for Kuchipudi dance research.

Natyaramam will host frequent classes, lectures, demonstrations, residencies, and other programmes by eminent persons in the field of dance, music and literature. The Kuchipudi Natyaramam’s Hall of Fame honours the Kuchipudi art pioneers of all types whether they are gurus, choreographers, composers, writers, dancers, or patrons. This premier cultural tourism product could be jointly promoted by Andhra Pradesh Tourism and Kuchipudi Natyaramam. The academy will be the focal point of local tourism development.

It will house the international standard digital studios for the production of Kuchipudi Yakshaganas, Ballets, Kalapas and all forms of Kuchipudi repertoire with creative and innovative concepts. The Natyaramam will also offer a wide selection of special programmes, seminars, literary events, and workshops throughout the calendar year.

The Natyaramam will be the focal point of day trips for youngsters from schools and colleges to experience the essence of Kuchipudi in an inspiring way for them to take up Kuchipudi. The Natyaramam will attract tourists to experience all the facets of Kuchipudi art form.

The Natyaramam’s Performing Art Centre would showcase daily performances by various artistes. The Natyaramam will have the finest international institute of Kuchipudi, which offers dance classes to all ages, levels, and interests. Natyaramam’s memorabilia store will provide various keepsakes of Kuchipudi art for the visitors and tourists to take home.
Natyaramam’s “Kuchipudi Cafe”will provide authentic food of the local area for all the visitors. The Natyaramam will provide short-and-long- term boarding and lodging facilities for students, visitors and scholars.

A day with dancers will be a pilgrimage to the most sacred place of Kuchipudi, giving a world-class experience to the visitors, with a unique menu of presentations that bring out the grandeur of the Natyaramam.However, the government’s move to acquire nearly 126 acres of fertile land on the outskirts of Kuchipudi to build the Natyaramam has run into trouble with the farmers, mostly families of Kuchipudi dancers, refusing to part with the land. According to the Krishna District collector at least Rs 22 crore is needed to compensate the farmers at the present market value.