Shimmering lights from diyas set amidst the flowers in decorated aarti-pooja thali held in tender hands of little ones dressed in pattupavadas. The scent of agarbattis filled the air. Soothing devotional hymns in the background keeps your mind at peace. On stage was a bronze idol of Lord Nataraja. The stage was set for a perfect welcome for the exceptional Kuchipudi dancers, Jaikishore and Padmavani Mosalikanti. The ambience at Café Papaya, Palarivattom, was just right for the Kuchipudi lecture-demonstration on the concept Evolution and History of Kuchipudi and Vempatti’s contribution to it, organised by Mamangam School of Dance. The two dancers unveiled the history of Kuchipudi right in front of them. Here’s what the dancers had to say to The Hindu MetroPlus on the dance form.
Adorning Kuchipudi
Jaikishore: My father was a violinist and I used to accompany him for most of the dance performances, right from the age of three. Shobha Naidu, one of the prime disciples of Padmabushan Guru Dr.Vempatti Chinna Satyam, found out that I had interest in dance and thus I was blessed with the greatest opportunity of becoming his youngest student.
Padmavani: When I was 15, we moved to Mumbai and I joined the Kuchipudi Kala Kendra and thankfully my master, M.S.R. Murthy was very encouraging and he was also a disciple of Guru Vempatti and that’s how it all started.
Room for changes
Jaikishore: Any art form for that matter keeps evolving. The changes that are needed are those that are really helping an art to survive. Today’s experimentation and tomorrow’s practice will become a tradition by day after tomorrow. Guru Vempatti has himself brought in a lot of changes. He removed the barrier of language and opened the platform to women dancers and he even removed the dialogues of the dancers (Vachikabinaya) in Kuchipudi.
On turning choreographer
Jaikishore: Guru Vempatti has done so much and we are fortunate that we don’t have to really think what changes can be brought in. Today, whatever experimentation we do we do it with the reference from the encyclopaedia called Guru Dr.Vempatti Chinna Satyam and I always stick to the norms and styles imparted to me by my Guru. It is just that I look at it in my own way.
The Challenges
Jaikishore: As a choreographer, every time I choreograph, it is a challenge. People will always look at you with what is the best that you have done. The process of choreography is like a challenge of a mother, who is delivering a child. Being the disciple of Guru Vempatti, it is also challenging to keep up the name and it is tough to maintain it as well.
Padmavani: For me, to portray somebody else’s mind is very challenging. When I do my choreography, like when I do something on my own, I have complete conviction. But when you do somebody else’s work, you are all the more responsible to understand their mind and do justice to their work.
‘Satyabhama’
Padmavani: Satyabhama is a widely presented and popular character of Kuchipudi that brings out the spirit of vivaciousness and femininity. Any woman would wish to be a Satyabhama one day because she is a complete woman with all fine qualities from dignity to power, having everything on her positive side. Satyabhama is often represented as glamorous queen but then, when I was given the character, I used to sit and watch how Jamuna (veteran Telugu actress) portrayed the character with a tinge of innocence. So far I don’t think I have done Satyabhama to the extent that somebody’s comments have really touched me. I still keep researching on the character.
As a ‘dancer couple’
Jaikishore: When we got married in 2002, we were not pillars of this dance form (laughs!).We actually grew through this art form. We started performing together from 2010 and are still trying to get more from the art. Our marriage was like a God given boon, a boon in disguise. As a couple we could come together and propagate the art and for that we are thankful to God.
Kuchipudi and today’s youth
Padmavani: I would not say that the younger generation is not interested in traditional art forms. Since the learning process starts at home, parents have to try and inculcate our Indian values and culture, right from the beginning. Parents should let the children choose their path rather than forcing it on them. We conduct lectures and workshops to take the art form not just to the youth but to a wider audience that even consists of the elderly.
Advice to budding Kuchipudi dancers
Jaikishore: “Believe in the art as you believe in God”, definitely the art will take care of you. How sincere you are towards the art, the same response you will get from the art. Doing academics related to the art is also important as it can guide you further.
