Andhra Natyam By Kala Kishore: Events in Hyderabad

First, a little history of the dance-form :

Andhra Natyam is an ancient temple dance performed in Aramas, temples and courts of kings by dedicated, cultured, female artists. This lasya tradition is as old as the Telugu land. It is of three parts, the ritual dance of temples, the intellectual court dance and the Parijatham Lokanritya. Currently, these three forms have been revived into one and propogated by Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna and his students, and performed as Andhra Natyam.

Nava Janardanam depicts an episode from the life of Lord Krishna and his consort Satyabhama, in song and dance. It is called so because it is performed in 9 temples of Janardana (Visnu) which are on the banks of river Godavari. That maharajas of the Pithapuram, great devotees of Vishnu, patronized this art, and artists of the Pendala family performed for generations together in the temples of Kunti Madhava at Pithapuram.

Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna learnt the art from Pendela Satyabhama, an artist from this family who propogated the dance for 75 years. This dance was performed for nine nights continuously and ended on the tenth day with Bhaagavata Dasama Skanda Parayana.

These dances, with their rich and colorful legacies, are going to be performed today evening at Shilparamam by the students of Sri. P Kalakishore. He himself is a rare, highly accomplished performer of this Andhra Natyam. Some of the credits to his name are :

A nine day performance at the Navajanardanam temples in AP

Gave perfomances and lectures at Krishna gana Sabha Music Academy

Gives regular performances for Spic Macay

Has had his dance recorded by NCPA and Central Sangeet Natak Academy

Sri. Kalakrishna has also received the titles Abhinava Satyabhama by Connosieurs Of Dance, Madhura Lasya Kala Nidhi, a felicitiation from AP Telugu University, a gold medal from Kuchipudi Art Academy of Hyderabad etc.

Today evening, his students Kartika, Sindusha, Sneha, Srujani and Sowmya will be performing Pushpanjali, Ganapati Stotra, an episode from Navajanardanam and Pallavi. The program will start at 1900 hrs at Shilparamam.

For further details, please contact 2310-0455.