Capturing the spirit of Hanuman Chalisa through Kuchipudi

If Kuchipudi is well known in Chennai, with quite a few students learning the art form, much of the credit goes to Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, who founded an institution dedicated to the classical style in 1963. Besides training several leading performers, he also composed and choreographed some of the finest pieces, which have become an integral part of Kuchipudi’s repertoire. Today, his foremost disciple, Srimoyi Vempati, keeps the Kuchipudi Art Academy running by conducting regular classes.

She recently presented Kapisutra – The Divine Algorithm of Bhakthi, a Natya Nadakam, at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Choreographed by Srimoyi, the presentation began with a mother (played by Srimoyi) explaining to her daughter the significance of the various avatars of Vishnu. The narrative then shifted to depicting episodes from the Ramayana, the highlight of which was an impressive interpretation of Tulasidas’ Hanuman Chalisa.

Though bhakti formed the core of the segment, the choreography brought out the nuances of the verses in the saint-poet’s celebrated work.