Kuchipudi of Andrapradesh, which took its name from the village itself is another well
known tradition of Indian classical dance drama. The Devadasis or maids of the Gods
used to perform this dance drama in the temples an shrines before deities. It was actually
a ritualistic performance full of religious fervor and devotion. Generated by the Brakti
cult, Kuchipudi has imbibed elements both from Bharatha Natyam and folk forms.
Kuchipudi a fine combination of Natya, Nritta and Nritya, was never a solo affair and
required a number of actors. It was presented in the open air on an improvised stage by
men and boys who were given a vigorous training in abhinaya, music dancing and
singing. The play began with the orchestral music followed the appearance of Ganesha,
the Elephant headed God,
to bless the performance. Then the dancers come with
offerings to the Flag of Indra. The Sutradhara then announces the theme and introduces
the characters in a sing song manner.
Each character enters the stage dancing and singing the merits of the character he or she
impersonates, which is known as Daruvus. The play progresses at a leisurely pace and
relaxed tempo punctuated with dances both abstract and expressional. It employs the
same stages and techniques of Bharatha Natyam, but also contains some very complicated
items of original footwork such as tracing out an outline of a lion or an elephant with the
feet on the floor, or dancing with the feet on the edge of a circular brass tray or with a
water pot balanced on the head.
But today Kuchipudi is considerably a different dance slyle than what it used to be. In most cases, it is a solo performance done by female dancers. The element of devotion to Gods has also been done away with., it has become purely a secular affair with predominance of erotic flavour, besides the drama component has also been reduced. Of course the main expressional numbers are somewhat the same like Jayadevas Ashtapadi, the Ramayana, the Puranas Krishna Leela Tarangini or Tyagaraja's compositions.
