Embodiment of feminine power and sacrifice

It has been a years-long tradition that noted Kuchipudi Guru SP Bharathi continues with much reverence; the staging of Kuchipudi dance ballet 'Sri Sri Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Devi Vaibhavam' along with her disciples under the aegis of her academy – Pendyala Nritya Bharathi.

The legend of Goddess Vasavi, goes back to the Penugonda, known as the Kasi of Arya Vysyas, where the 714 Gotrajas of the Vysya community lived under the rule of King Kusuma Shresti and Queen Kusumamba. Their daughter, a divine blessing, a reincarnation of Adiparasakthi herself, one of the twins born after the Putrakameshti Yagam grows into an intelligent and beautiful woman. She immolates herself in order to save herself and her community from the evil deeds of demon king, who wanted to marry her; and emerges from the fire as the 'Kanyaka Parameshwari' with eighteen hands. She preached universal and social religiousness, spirituality, love, sacrifice, non-violence and unity, and symbolized woman power and self-respect.

SP Bharathi conceptualised a Kuchipudi ballet based on this 10th / 11th century classic and this she did with clear understanding of the divinity in the Goddess, in addition to her emphasis on welfare of her people and she as the embodiment of power. Kalaratna Dr SP Bharathi, the winner of many awards including the 2010 Ugadi Visishta Puraskaram from Government of AP, Life Time Achievement Award from AP Telugu Academy in the year 2014, and the latest Eminent Persons of 2019 National Award for her outstanding endeavour in the field of Indian classical dance and cultural services has been performing the ballet, one of her monumental works as a part of propagating dance and tradition since many years now.

Last year she along with 1008 students and dancers, gave the elaborate dance performance, as an offering to Goddess Saraswati, in Sangareddy, for who she alone gave the 'nattuvangam'

Bharathi was born in a village called Achanta, near Narsapuram in West Godavari district. Her father was a school headmaster. "I watched a dance ballet 'Mohini Bhasmasura' performed by famous Korada Narasimha Rao and G Varalakshmi in my village, and I was attracted to dance. I expressed my desire to learn with my father. He agreed and put me under the training of Guru Chinta Ramamurthy where I learnt from when I was nine-years-old till I finished my graduation. I completed by MA in Music and came to Hyderabad after marriage with my husband. Since then, I have been actively involved in promoting Kuchipudi, teaching and giving various performances," shares the passionate dancer and Guru.

She was not satisfied to just teach dance. She did her PhD and after 12 years of research submitted a thesis that says that Kuchipudi is an amalgamation of all the performing arts as mentioned in Bharata Muni's 'Abhinaya Darpanam.' Many of her students now run dance academies and she herself has been a faculty in universities. She is invited as judge for dance competitions and has been receiving many awards, even as she continues with her performances.

Her many achievements are on one side, and her dedicated pursuance of the Kuchipudi dance ballet, which she choreographed and directed on Sri Sri Kanyaka Parameswari, on the other. She has performed the ballet on all major platforms along with a team of 24 dancers and says it is her desire to continue propagating the greatness of the Goddess, and embodiment of an empowered woman.

Dr Bharathi performs the ballet of Goddess Sri Sri Kanyakaparameswari on two days every year. The auspicious day of her birth and the day she sacrifices her life.

This year the much famous ballet will be performed in Sangareddy towards the end of January to mark the opening of a big temple built for the Goddess by the Arya Vysya community members.

- Features Desk