Even in the 21st century, the humble cycle remains a proud possession of the dance maestros of the Kuchipudi village, where the habit of cycling has been passed on to them by their predecessors. Dadasaheb Phalke awardee and film director K. Viswanath immortalised it through Balu (played by Kamal Haasan) in the classic Sagarasangamam. Reportedly, he drew the idea from Kuchipudi in Krishna district.
“I have seen yesteryear gurus — Vedantam Sitaramayya Sastry and Pasumarthy Venkateswarlu — cycling in the streets of the village. I used to go to college for teaching on cycle and continue to do it until my body supports it,” said Vedantam Radheshyam, Sangeet Natak Academy awardee.
Vedantam Rattayya Sarma, also Sangeet Natak awardee, on Sunday told The Hindu that he loved to go cycling every morning. “Cycling is one of the key activities in a day. I use it to attend my regular tasks in the village,” said Mr. Rattayya Sarma, who is in his 70s. The gurus have explored many facets of the urban life and observed changes in the modes of mobility but they are determined to stick to to the cycling. Attired in dhoti, they go from one place to another on the ‘two-wheeler’ signing songs.
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In rural Andhra Pradesh, until a decade ago, the cycle had been the prime demand by the bridegroom as the wedding gift. “My in-laws did not give me the cycle as a wedding gift but I bought it with my earnings,” added Mr. Radheshyam. Akhila Bharata Kuchipudi Natya Kala Mandali Founder Secretary Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad opined that the majority of the gurus of this dance village did not find necessary to learn driving the bikes as they were positively addicted to cycling.