The folk arts at Gurajada Kalakshetram wooed the beholders to no end in Visakhapatnam under the aegis of All India Radio Visakhapatnam Kendram. In a bid to preserve the legacy of folk arts in its archives for posterity AIR held this on a mega scale. It featured an array of folk arts such as Kolatam, Garaga Nrityam, Tappeta Gullu, Dappu Vinyasam, folk songs besides tribal dance Dhimsa in addition to a few select scenes from popular Telugu pouranic plays Satya Harischandra and Pandavavudyogavijayam .
It began with Garaga Nrityam. With garagalu brass pots, village girls danced executing simple but attractive floor designs. A few intricate movements like bending unto the floor and pick up the currency notes and dancing with burning wicks on heads to the heady beats of drums, followed by a folk arts extravaganza that kept the beholders enthralled beyond measure.
Tappeta Gullu the virile dance of North Coastal Andhra that combines devotional fervour with song and dance evoked warm response. Performed by P. Krishnarao of Srikakulam and his troupe it was enchanting all through. Involving sinuous movements, pirouettes, leaps and jumps and even pyramidal formations the virile dance just kept the spectators spellbound.
With three layers of muvvalu – ankle bless- of different sizes stitched to their trousers besides their huge ankle bells jingling, beating Tappeta Gundu - a tin-pot tied to chest- in a frenzied rhythm they danced in devotional fervour.
With the narrator singing mythological episodes from Sitadevi Aranyavasam, the dance gained momentum as the song progressed in different rasas - the moods of emotion- much to the delight of onlookers. The pattern of the movements varied in different talas or cycles of rhythm. The song Raghavula tammuda, raavoyi Lakshmana was about Sita asking Lakshmana to go and check if Rama, who went to capture the golden deer, was in peril for she heard like Rama calling for help.
Jada Kolatam was another number that mesmerised the spectators. Presented by Tota Venkanna and his troupe, it stood out for its exceptional team work.
Weaving seemingly simple but intricate floor designs clanking the Kolalu (sticks) in a rhythmic pattern, the troupe wove and unravelled the braid of ropes hanging from a disc above much to the enchantment of the onlookers. The ease with which they shuffled the foot work in quick succession kept the elite audience in awe. They did kolatam for the folk lyrics Gananadha, an invocatory in praise of Lord Ganesh, Nomulenni nochinano describing the motherly feelings of Sitadevi at the birth of Lava and Kusa in the hermitage of sage Valmiki.
Dhimsa dance by tribal women folk with its supple and winding movements of grace was quite enchanting, while Dappu vinyasam in all its vibrancy and folk songs in their rustic beauty delighted. Bagadi Vijaya Sai's team staged popular ‘Padaka Scene' from the verse drama Pandava Vudyogavijayam of Tirupati Venkata Kavulu, while Koppara Mangadevi presented ‘Kati Scene' from the play Satya Harischandra of Balijepalli Lakshmikantam with verve.
