A Quarterly Journal of Indian Dance Volume: XVI, No. 4 October - December 2016 Sahrdaya Arts Trust Hyderabad RNI No. APENG2001/04294 ISSN 2455-7250 Nartanam, founded by Kuchipudi Kala Kendra, Founders Mumbai, now owned and published by Sahrdaya G. M. Sarma Arts Trust, Hyderabad, is a quarterly which provides a forum for scholarly dialogue on a broad M. Nagabhushana Sarma range of topics concerning Indian dance. Its concerns are theoretical as well as performative. Chief Editor Textual studies, dance criticism, intellectual and Madhavi Puranam interpretative history of Indian dance traditions are its focus. It publishes performance reviews Patron and covers all major events in the field of dance in Edward R. Oakley India and notes and comments on dance studies and performances abroad. Chief Executive The opinions expressed in the articles and the Vikas Nagrare reviews are the writers’ own and do not reflect the opinions of the editorial committee. The editors and publishers of Nartanam do their best to Advisory Board verify the information published but do not take Anuradha Jonnalagadda (Scholar, Kuchipudi dancer) responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the Avinash Pasricha (Former Photo Editor, SPAN) information. C.V. Chandrasekhar (Bharatanatyam Guru, Padma Bhushan) Cover Photo: Kedar Mishra (Poet, Scholar, Critic) Top: Oggu Dolu drummers at Bonalu celebrations. Below: Gusadi, Chindu, Perini, Kuchipudi & Lambada Kiran Seth (Padma Shri; Founder, SPIC MACAY) K. K. Gopalakrishnan (Critic, Scholar) Photo Courtesy: Department of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Leela Venkataraman (Critic, Scholar, SNA Awardee) Culture, Government of Telangana. Mallika Kandali (Sattriya dancer, Scholar) Top Photo: Pappu Venugopala Rao (Scholar, Former Associate D G, N N G Motion Pictures American Institute; Secretary, Music Academy) Photos at the bottom: Reginald Massey (Poet, FRSA & Freeman of London) NNG Motion Pictures, Avinash Pasricha and Nehru Centenary Tribal Museum, Hyderabad Sunil Kothari (Scholar, Padma Shri & SNA Awardee) Suresh K. Goel (Former Director General, ICCR) Cover, Design & Layout Shakeel Ahmed This Special Issue of Nartanam on Dances of Telangana is supported by Department of Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture, Government of Telangana. Annual Subscription: In India: Individual: ` 1000 Institutional: ` 2000 Past issues can be obtained from our office ` Overseas: Individual: US $ 60 Institutional: US $ 80 @ 350/- per copy for individuals ` (All Inclusive of postage) @ 500/- per copy for instiutions Note: Students in India can avail of 25% discount on (Inclusive of postage in India; Subject to availabil- individual subscriptions) ity; Please check with the office.) For all editorial enquiries, sending manuscripts, details of subscriptions, and past issues please visit www.nartanam.in Registered Office: Sahrdaya Arts Trust, 508, Dwarakamai Apartments, Srinagar Colony Post, Hyderabad- 500073 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Phone: 9989314829, 9000020879 website: www.nartanam.in All articles, photographs and other materials, appearing in Nartanam, whether in whole or in part, in any form are exclusive copyright of Sahrdaya Arts Trust unless otherwise specified, and may not be reproduced in any form or stored in any electronic or retrievable format without prior written consent. Printed and published by Madhavi Puranam on behalf of Sahrdaya Arts Trust, Hyderabad Printed at Karshak Art Printers, 40-APHB, Vidyanagar, Hyderabad-500044. (Ph:27618261) and published at Hyderabad. Editor: Madhavi Puranam NARTANAM Volume: XVI, No. 4 October-December 2016 CONTENTS Editorial/ 6 Folk Dances of Telangana VAKULABHARANAM LALITHA /19 Folk Arts N. BHAKTAVATSALA REDDY & Y. A. SUDHAKAR REDDY / 83 The Bhagavata traditions and Kuchipudi: The Telangana Connection ANUPAMA KYLASH / 103 Telanganam-Yakshaganam An extract from Andhra Yakshagana Vangmaya Charitram S.V. JOGA RAO / 115 Nataraja Ramakrishna: Crusader and Visionary M. NAGABHUSHANA SARMA / 127 Perini: A Virile Dance Form GUDIPUDI SRIHARI / 137 Perini Panchangas: Reconstruction by Nataraja Ramakrishna KALAKRISHNA / 143 Dakhni Culture SALMA AHMAD FAROOQUI / 153 Tribal Dances of Telangana DYAVANAPALLI SATYANARAYANA / 167 Kakatiyan Art D. VIDYANATH / 195 Surabhi in Telangana REAKAMDAR NIRUPAMA SUNETRI / 203 The Saga of Sringaramanjari MADHAVI PURANAM/ 211 An Overview of Nrtta Ratnavali YASHODA THAKORE/ 217 PERFORMANCE REVIEWS Some Significant Dance Events in the Capital / 222 LEELA VENKATARAMAN The Festival Circuit / 229 SUNIL KOTHARI Parampara Festival 2016 / 236 SREE VEENA MANI 6 Nartanam EDITORIAL A chance meeting with a Stone Waller in Wales, Bruce Maudsley, along with Reginald Massey, adviser to Nartanam, revealed how passion can transform work into art. Bruce’s paper on the ancient art of building stonewalls in England reads like poetry. An impressively educated gentleman, Bruce embraced his calling to be close to the earth that he belonged to. He chose to build dry stone walls all his life. The Stone Waller had the oldest editions of Tagore’s works in his library. A chat with Bruce affirms my belief that culture is a composite of the myriad facets of human sensibility, education, and work which are often compartmentalized into various genres and disciplines, in vain. Often, the partitions are water-tight. The realization that one has failed to transcend these barriers in order to achieve a holistic education, marked by grace and spiritual ascent, dawns too late. In Plato’s Republic, Socrates reflects on the importance of musical and poetic education to youth. He elaborates on how the rhythm and the mode of music penetrate deeply into the human soul infusing the idea of harmony as a universal principle even before man masters conceptual arguments for moral behaviour. The great philosopher says, aiming for “grace” should be true for all arts and crafts, even the condition of our bodies and all the things that grow. (Bychkov and Sheppard, 2010: Republic, 2-3, 2.376e-3.402a & reference 23). I draw attention to Abhinavagupta (10-11 century AD) who stressed on the attributes of a great dramaturge – Pratibha (creative faculty, poetic imagination or creative genius), Vasana (proclivity, memory, latent impressions) and Vyutpatti (mature judgement). The Natyasastra (2BC-2AD) highlights Abhyasa (constant practice) as an important attribute for effective communication of emotions in a play. At Purdue University, in a conversation with Mete Sozen, the renowned Professor of Earthquake Engineering, another attribute for producing great work was stressed upon. Mete remarked that one need not necessarily be a genius to achieve greatness in academia. It’s the interest or passion for one’s work that makes all the difference. It rings true of any discipline including dance. Nartanam 7 SPECIAL ISSUE ON DANCES OF TELANGANA Passion for dance academics has taken Nartanam through sixteen years of its publication, non-stop, four issues every year. No matter, the severe manpower and financial crunch. We are pleased to bring out this issue of Nartanam, a special on the dances of Telangana, despite many challenges. To bridge the divide between the scholars of the two new states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh carved out from the former Andhra Pradesh, was a tough call. It was quite a task segregating the forms of the entire Telugu speaking region, and assigning them to the two new states. Most of the forms are performed across both the states. The forms included in this issue span the classical, folk, and tribal dance and traditional theatre. The two states share a big chunk of history, literature and arts. It would be interesting to look at some of the historic facts pertaining to Telangana, before we serenade our readers with fantastic academic content coupled with a visual treat. The Comprehensive History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh, Vol IV, Medieval Andhradesa AD 1000-1324, 2011 (referred hereafter as CHCAP-IV) edited by Somasundara Rao, makes for a rich source of the history of Telangana. The Kakatiyas rose to be a dominant power in the then Andhradesa from the middle of the twelfth century and controlled central Telangana, Guntur and Prakasam districts of coastal Andhra. Warangal emerged under them as the premier cultural and political center in place of Vengi, which lay between the Godavari and Krishna deltas and was the bone of contention through the centuries and various dynasties. (Thapar, 1976: 167-68). It was during the period 700-1300 AD and especially under the Kakatiyas that the region ruled by them came to be known in the pan-Indian context, variously, as Andhra Tailing, Trilinga, Tilanga. The Muslim chronicles of this period refer to the Kakatiya kingdom as ‘Tiling’ and Warangal as Andhranagari. Regional identity and efflorescence in every sphere of life and the art of Andhra were shaped during this formative period. (C. Somasundara Rao, "Transition", in CHCAP-IV, 2011: 6). Under the Kakatiyas, for the first time the upland areas of Telangana, which had hitherto formed the peripheral regions of the previous dynasties ruling the region, became the center of power. (I. Lakshmi, "Kakatiya Polity and Nature of the State", in CHCAP-IV, 2011: 173). From the sixth century AD inscriptions began to be composed in Telugu prose, while verse came later. The script in the 8 Nartanam Telugu region underwent many variations from 624 -1324 AD. However, Telugu literature in the classical form developed in the eleventh century AD, with the script changing drastically, especially during the