The ‘Mahabrinda Natyam’, a performance by 5,794 artistes, comprising from the tender but nimble-footed three-year-olds to the 65-year-olds, bagged a coveted place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the “largest Kuchipudi dance” at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Tuesday evening.
Organised by SiliconAndhra to mark the close of the 3 International Kuchipudi Dance Convention, it was a tribute to the late Vempati Chinna Satyam, one of the greatest masters who practised the 600-year-old dance form and who has thousands of disciples across the globe.
Praveen Patel, adjudicator for Guinness Records, announced that he was delighted to witness the ‘largest Kuchipudi dance’ and handed over the certificate to SiliconAndhra chairperson, Union Minister D. Purandeswari and State IT Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah. Founder president of SiliconAndhra, Anand Kuchibhotla and incoming president, Vijayasaradhi Madabushi, watched with satisfaction “a job well done”. The earlier record was set at the second such convention at the same venue in 2010 when 2,850 artistes performed.
It was as fitting a tribute that anyone could pay to the master and as the ‘Mahabrinda Natyam’ came to a close, thousands at the stadium at Gachibowli, gave a standing ovation.
It was also an occasion for ‘Telugu pride’ to be showcased like never before and it was apt too, considering that it was just two days before the inaugural of the World Telugu Conference in Tirupati.
Ms. Purandeswari, who has practised Kuchipudi for eight years and Bharatnatyam for five years, said it was a great moment. The Minister, a disciple herself of Vempati Chinna Satyam, said it was a moment of pride for her to be present in the tribute to the legend, who “was as great as Siddhendra Yogi of the 13th Century”.
Mr. Lakshmaiah said it was a joyful moment for Telugus and Kuchipudi.
Writer-poet-actor Tanikella Bharani said blessed were the artistes and those at the stadium.
