KOCHI: Sarvani Yeleswarapu, who hails from the Kuchipudi village of Andhra Pradesh, grew up seeing the dance form. “I remember watching a Kuchipudi performance by my grandfather and father when I was a mere two-year-old. My grandfather’s expressions, in particular, attracted me towards the art,” says Sarvani. She recently performed at the Young Talents Fest, jointly organised by Bharat Bhavan, Kerala State Youth Welfare Board and Samsiddhi, in the city.
Sarvani’s father, who is a Kuchipudi teacher, discouraged her from continuing the dance tradition. She, however, was not ready to give up. “My father felt a livelihood in Kuchipudi was not easy. But I never missed a chance to be with my father when he taught the art form,” she says.
Sarvani belongs to the Yeleswarapu family, which is one of the 10 families dedicated to the classical art form in Kuchipudi village. She is the fourth-generation artist from the family. Though she began learning the art since the age of three, her official classes in Kuchipudi began when she was in Class II with Gajja Pooja.
For Sarvani, Kuchipudi is not about earning fame but all about expressing her devotion to Lord Shiva. “Without dedication, one will not be able to involve him/herself in the art. Kuchipudi is like a big ocean and it takes a lifetime to learn,” she says.
Sarvani, an MBA holder, now earns her living by teaching at her father’s Kuchipudi school. “I was able to quell my father’s fear that art alone cannot sustain a person. Nothing can prevent one from becoming an artist for a living if you are passionate and dedicated to the art,” she said. On her love for Kuchipudi, Sarvani says, “I can stay without food, but I cannot live without dance. It is as important as my next breath.”
Her favourite stage of all was a Kuchipudi Yakshagana performance 10 years ago. “I enacted Banasura. After the performance, my grandfather appreciated me. It is his blessing that keeps me going,” says Sarvani. The 24-year-old artist, who is Centre for Cultural Resources and Training Scholarship awardee, hopes to continue as a Kuchipudi teacher.