Hyderabad, 17th March, 2019: Ms Sunila Gollapudi, an Andhra Natyam exponent & Executive Vice President, Broadridge Financial Solutions, performed Andhra Natyam, followed by Golla Kalapam dance concer. The solo performance was rendered by Sunila under the guidance of her guru Acharya Shri Kala Krishna, and presented under the Nartanasala banner, on Saturday 16th March, 2019, at Phoenix Arena, Gachibowli, the recital will begin at 6.30 pm.
The concert started with the Kumbhahaarathi that is traditionally presented in temples before starting the performance. The performances were split into two parts. The first part presented the traditional Lasya style of Andhra Natyam with five discrete dance pieces, the first one invoking the lord god Ganapathi, especially the Nratana Ganapathi form, followed by Vishnu Kaivaram depicting the leelas of playful Krishna in his Radhamadhava form. The third item was Adhyatma Ramayanam, presenting the parashurama garvabhamga ghatam. The fourth item presented the writings of Poteana concluded by Tarangam.
The second part of the performance was Golla kalapam, also known as Gopika Vignanam, that elucidates the smartness and knowledge of milk maid (the gollabhama) and how she argues with a Brahmin to prove her supremacy and skill. For the current concert Sunila presented a portion of Golla Kalapam that included Golla Bhama pravesa ghatam followed by an episode of selling of milk and its products like curd and butter milk. She explains the importance of milk, curd and butter milk and the good they do to mankind. She claims that all the gods and goddesses purchase milk and the related products from her. The Golla Kalapam ends with explaining the value of these milk products and how the gollabhama doesn’t really sell these for money but aspires for jewels.
Speaking on the occasion Sunila Gollapudi said, I am passionate about dance and want to sensitize the millennial, who have no exposure to our traditional dance forms, especially the rich dance form, Andhra Natyam. This inaugural show of Nartanasala is also a tribute to my masters, the legendary Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna and his dear disciple Acharya Shri Kalakrishna. Today, Corporate world too appreciates and values, employees exploring their passion, especially passion for art. Such extracurricular interests are considered an asset for career growth too. Millennial should delve deep into themselves and see what interests them and embrace it passionately, art being an important part of life can fill this void to make them complete individuals.
About Sunila
Sunila has been trained in Andhra Natyam under the able tutelage of Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna and Acharya Shri Kala Krishna for over 18 years. She has been a graded artist with Cultural affairs and Doordarshan.Besides being trained and qualified in Andhra Natyam danseuse and a painting artist, Sunila is driving all key Technology initiatives with Broadridge in her EVP role. She is known to be a mentor and an influential woman leader having three books to her credit now on Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning and Big Data Engineering.
About Nartanasala
It has been Sunila's dream to build an easily accessible platform for talented artists to come, collaborate and produce creative and unique choreographies. She believed & propagates the Science behind these art forms and aspire to spread awareness of our tradition and save these art forms from becoming extinct. The inaugural show of Nartanasala is a tribute to the legend Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna choreographed by his dear disciple Acharya Shri Kalakrishna.
Andhra Natyam is a traditional dance form dating back to 2000 years. It was performed by 'Devadasis' in temples as a form of worship. In olden days wherever there was a temple some or the other form of dance was associated with it. Andhra Natyam comprises of the Lasya tradition of female dance and the male warrior dance called Perini with vigorous dance form is characterized by rapid footsteps and the essence is to invoke Lord Shiva.
Guru Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna
Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna is the most respected Acharya who revived Andhra Natyam. He recreated the 'Perini Sivathandavam". The militant male dance tradition of the 10th century AD and 'Navajanardanam', a great Prabandha dance tradition. He has written over 40 books on dance traditions of Andhra Pradesh and ancient dance forms and served as a Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Sangeeta Natak Academy.
Acharya Shri Kalakrishna
Acharya Shri Kalakrishna is a leading exponent of Andhra Natyam. He is one of the senior most disciples of Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna and was trained under him in Andhra Natyam. Navajanardana Parijatam and other Temple dance traditions of Andhra in Guru Shishya Parampara. He has been bestowed with “Abhinava Satyabhama” title and is known for the female incarnation based roles.
