The Natya Sastra defines the navarasas as Sringara, Hasya, Karuna, Roudra, Veera, Bhayanaka, Bhibhatsa, Adbhuta and Santa. The nine moods were excellently depicted by Natyacharya Ajay Kumar and his troupe in the programme conducted jointly by Vijayawada Cultural Academy and Hamsadhvani Kuchipudi Nrityalaya at Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju Kala Vedika. Ajay Kumar is a reputed choreographer and a staffer of Ghantasala Government College of Music and Dance, Vijayawada. Ajay Kumar rightly selected the Annamacharya keertana Navarasamuladi Nalinakshi , a very suitable song to depict the navarasas. Ajay donned a female role to depict the rasas convincingly. His figure, expressions and abhinayam suited the role perfectly. All the dances performed in this colourful programme were done in Kuchipudi tradition by the troupe who were well trained by Ajay Kumar. Other enjoyable items were Alokaye Balakrishnam, Ananda Sagara Tandava Krishnam , the mini dance drama Srikrishna Leelalu which depicted enchantingly, the childhood pranks of Lord Krishna namely Kamsa Vadha, Kaliya Mardanam and Geetha Bodha . Fine support was provided by P. Anjaneyulu (violin), M.Vijayakumar (mridangam), K. Suryanarayana and K.R. Sudharabu (vocal). The dancers were Surendranath, Geetapoornima, Neelaveni, Chaitaya and others. The Cultural Academy fittingly honoured Ajay Kumar who returned recently after a successful foreign tour.
The function held before the dance program was presided over by Golla Narayana Rao and the Chief Guest was Putta Jaganmohan Rao, a great patron of the arts.
