Dubai Girl on a mission to take Kuchipudi on international stage
TIRUPATI: Born in Andhra Pradesh and brought up in Dubai, this young girl never forgot her roots and culture. For nine years, she strove hard to learn the nuances of Kuchipudi, a classic dance form of Andhra Pradesh.
Meet the 17-year-old girl Amrutha Thunga, a resident of Bur Dubai in Dubai. At the age of eight, she was inspired by the Telugu film Swarnakamalam starring dancer-actor Bhanu Priya.
Amrutha started learning Kuchipudi in Dubai under the guidance of Guru Vimmi B Eswar and she mastered Kuchipudi with discipline and unhindered dedication. Kuchipudi is a dance-drama performance, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of Natya Shastra. It originated in a village named Kuchipudi in the Krishna district.
Amrutha has performed in various places such as Bali, Surabhaya and Jakarta in Indonesia and at Guruvayur in Kerala. She also performed at Thanjavur and Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. She considers herself lucky for performing in Kuchipudi village (the birthplace of the traditional dance) in Krishna district and on Nadha Neerajanam stage at the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala.
Amrutha, the first daughter of Thunga Naga Prasad, finished her schooling in Dubai and is currently pursuing her higher studies in International Relations (Politics). Prasad is settled in Dubai for nearly 21 years along with his family. She completed her ‘Arangetram’ in Tirupati in August this year.
Workshops at Antara Institutions in Dubai honed her skills and shaped her goal. She also learned Carnatic music at Antara Institutions. Further, Amrutha was able to learn different dance forms such as Odissi, Gotipua and Balinese Legong and their relevance from Antara Institutions.
Amrutha is interested in reading novels and her artistic capabilities in Zentangle, digital and hand-sketch, watercolour and canvas painting highlight her skills.“My aim is to be a part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote Indian culture. I will use classical dance forms of India as a bridge between India and the rest of the world,” said Amrutha.
“It is the responsibility of everyone to learn our culture and take it forward for the generations to come,’’ the young girl added.“I was also interested in the history of India and ancient structures of our country,” the classical dancer added.
Naga Prasad, the father of Amrutha, has supported and encouraged her to learn Kuchipudi. “Amrutha was very keen on learning Kuchipudi. Now, she has been trying to promote the dance by performing in other countries,” said the young performer’s father.