Aalaya Sampradaya Nrityam By Disciples Of Voleti Rangamani: Events in Hyderabad

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For most classical dancers who want to leave their stamp even on their own psyche, Simhanandini is where the rubber meets the road. One of the toughest forms of Indian dance is on display tonite.

The Department Of Culture is presenting a recital of Kuchipudi and Simhanandini (Aalaya Sampradaya Nrithyam) on 12th May, at the Ravindra Bharathi, by disciples of the famed Simhanandini dancer Voleti Rangamani. The recital starts with a Kuchipudi recital by Mounika, Apurva, Prathima, Deepa Mridula, Vaishnavi, Swathi and Sunithi, and will be followed by Jatiswaram by Apurva, Deepa, Mounika and Prathima.

This will be followed by Mandodari Shapatham by Pranavi, Samyukta and Sagarika; Annamacharya Keertana Tandana Ahi by Aruna, Pranavi, Samyukta, Pavani, Maheshwari and Bhargavi; Dashavataralu by M S Ramanujam, Bhargavi, Pavani and Maheshwari; and finally the highlight of the recital, the Simhanandini, which comprises of two simhams (lions), 2 mayuras (peacocks) and one padmam (lotus), and will be done by M S Ramanujam, Rekha, Bhargavi, Pavani and Maheshwari.

For the first time, the drawn pictures (Ammavaru) will be taken around the auditorium for a darshan of the audience. The recital will be supported by D S V Sastry with the vocals, Voleti Rangamani with the nattuvangam, Rajagopalacharyulu on the mridangam, Muralidharacharyulu on the violin, Venkatesh on the flute and Sudhakar on the veena.

The chief guest for the recital is Chitra Ramachandran, Secretary, Tourism & Culture; and other invited guests are Dr Rallabandi Kavita Prasad, Director, Department of Culture, and G Chandrasekhar, Founder, Ashtalakshmi Temple.

Voleti Rangamani is a senior Kuchipudi dancer who has revived the centuries old traditional dance of Simhanandini. Simhanandini is an interesting dance form where the dancer draws pictures of Goddess Kali's lion or Kumaraswamy's peacock or Goddess Lakshmi's aasan (the lotus), while dancing on the rangoli lying scattered on the stage.

Rangamani is the founder-director of Abhinaya Darpana Arts Academy, established in 1981. She is the daughter and disciple of renowned Kuchipudi dancer-teacher, Late C R Acharyulu. She also learnt Kuchipudi from Vedantam Prahlada Sarma. She is a renowned Simhanandini dancer, which she has demonstrated at many places in India and abroad.

For further details, please contact the Department Of Culture at 2323-3672.