Dance tribute paid to China Satyam

In a memorable tribute, Sri Krishna Paarijaatam, a Kuchipudi dance drama choreographed and produced by the late Vempati China Satyam in 1958, was performed to mark the sixth death anniversary of the guru, the son of the soil who spread the Indian classical dance form across the globe. The dance guru was remembered at a programme organised at Kuchipudi by the Kuchipudi Academy and the Akhila Bharata Kuchipudi Natya Kala Mandali on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, his son Vempati Venkat recalled the contributions and the hardships faced by his father during his journey in spreading the dance form. The dance fraternity and the village of Kuchipudi were still missing China Satyam, a Padma Bhushan awardee, he said. China Satyam’s granddaughter Lakshmi Kameswari and another guru Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy’s granddaughter Namratha as Satyabhama and Lord Krishna respectively in the ballet, enthralled the audience. The archived voice of Guru Vempati was played, sending the audience and the villagers down the memory lane.

Ms. Swapna as Rukhmini and Arya Manoj as Naradha equally lent their support with their respective roles, stealing the hearts of dance aficionados. Vijayawada All India Radio head (News) G.Kondala Rao inaugurated the event by offering flowers to the portrait of China Satyam. Akhila Bharata Kuchipudi Natya Kala Mandali secretary Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad and other dance families recollected their association with the late guru.