NIZAMABAD : At a time when the youth is slowly shifting away from the traditional Hindu marriage and wedding system, a Hyderabad-based group is trying to show the context and the hidden meanings of the Vedic hymns and chants through Kuchipudi, one of India’s eight major classical dances from Andhra Pradesh. The group, Sri Nateshwari Foundation of Arts and Culture (SNFAC), recently performed in NTR district after the death of Piratla Balasubrahmanyam, a former ISRO scientist, who devised the rules and forms of this inspired dance form.
Many traditionalists claim that the popular media often portrays the Vedic Hindu marriage, which forms the edifice of the Indian family system, in a negative manner. They claim that the institution of traditional marriage is being ridiculed on TV shows and movies.
Speaking to TNIE, SNFAC dance team coordinator V Umadevi says their programme is loosely inspired by the works of renowned Kuchipudi dancer, Shobha Naidu. She points out that several ‘dance revolutions’ in Andhra Pradesh, such as the Chandalika against caste discrimination, reflected the truth of life and society during performances.
Umadevi says they started the programme with the aim to continue the rich heritage and culture. However, she also praised Piratla Balasubrahmanyam saying that his work formed the framework of the entire genre of inspired artistry. “Balasubrahmanyam, apart from displaying exceptional promise and results in the field of science and technology, also possessed vast knowledge of the Hindu scriptures,” she remarks.
She mentions that the late ISRO scientist was also interested in literature and language, especially Telugu, which also led to him authoring a few papers on the subject. Explaining the dance form Umadevi says there are eight types of traditional Vedic weddings, of which the most common one is the ‘Brahma marriage’.
After extensively studying the Hindu wedding system and relevant sections from the scriptures, Balasubrahmanyam published a manual for the new dance form. From the pre-wedding rituals to the ‘kanyadanam’, everything has been amalgamated to create the new dance form, adds Umadevi.
Balasubrahmanyam has tried to inculcate the significance of hymns and the metaphors associated with a wedding in the dance form’s Tandava (movement and rhythm), Lasya (grace) and Nritya (expressional component).
The dance form was first presented by SNFAC in Chennai in 2016. It was incidentally during the wedding of Balasubrahmanyam’s daughter. However, after his recent demise, they performed during the annual Brahmotsavam at Lakshmipati temple in Pedamuthevi village under Muvva mandal of NTR district in Andhra Pradesh. Pedamuthevi is reportedly Dr Balasubrahmanyam’s native village.
The hour-long performance was met with applause and managed to garner praise from connoisseurs and the common folk alike. Audience members recall that they felt a rush of memories from their own weddings and were transfixed with the intricacies and subtleties of the dance form.
The event was sponsored by Dr Balasubrahmanyam’s wife, Ramanashree. Nivedita, who was the lead dancer, says they would perform across the Telugu states and spread the dance form.
A poet and writer, Shalaka Raghunatha Sharma, who was in the audience as well, says the Indian family system is alive because of the philosophy adopted from Hindu scriptures. Since the role of women is so clearly defined, of which marriage is a vital part, Indian society and family system continue to run well.
Stating that he could never run out of praise for the Vedic marriage system, Sharma points out that the institution of marriage has become akin to a contract in the West. The family system is weak and is leading to numerous problems, he adds.
He also showered praise on Dr Balasubrahmanyam stating that the former scientist has achieved an unprecedented feat after extensively studying the Hindu marriage system, methodology and customs.
He interpreted the hymns and chants and infused magic and commentary to create this inspired dance form, adds Sharma.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Srikrishnasram chief guru Sri Sitharam blessed the dance team and expressed his wish that they would perform more shows in the coming days