AN ODE TO NATARAJA
Known globally for their rare excellence and perfection of technique, Raja and Radha Reddy complete 50 years in the art of Kuchipudi this year. The duo is solely responsible to help bring the Indian classical dance form of Kuchipudi to the cultural map of the world.
“I m very proud and happy, this is the happiness that we get after completing 50 years in the divine art of Kuchipudi. It’s not only me, but Radha, Kaushalya and my 2 daughters are very proud of the moment,” says Raja Reddy. Trained by eminent Kuchipudi dancers, Sri Vedantam Prahlada Sarma and Sri PVG Krishna, for Raja Reddy, the love for kuchipudi came at an early age and Radha followed his path after their wedding. They became the first Indian dancers to perform at the International Dance Festival of Avignon in France and Salzburg (Austria) and the Festivals of India in the USA, UK and Bangladesh. In Japan, the Reddys were two of the twenty – two star dancers from across the world invited to perform at The All-star Ballet Gala Festival.
For the last 20 years, ‘Natya Tarangini performing arts,’ established by Raja Radha Reddy has been organizing its annual “Parampara Series – The National festival of Music and Dance” to promote the Indian dance and music. As Padma Shree and Padma Bhushana Raja Radha Reddy complete their 50 years of service to the field of Indian classical dance form – Kuchipudi; they attribute their success to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Mahashivaratri on February 24.
Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy are organising an ode to Nataraja – an all night concert series at the Natya Tarangini Performing Arts Centre, which had been formed forty years ago by the Reddys in order to train innumerable Indian classical dance lovers around the world.
Mahashivaratri is the most important festival for the devotees of Lord Shiva. The festival has been accorded a lot of significance in Hindu mythology. It says that if a devotee sincerely worships Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivratri then that person is absolved of all sins and attains moksha. Known as “Black Shiva” all over the world, Raja Reddy said, “During my childhood, we used to sing and dance for the whole night in the praise of Lord Shiva and we want to maintain our country’s tradition in the national Capital as well and this is the reason of our celebration on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.”
The Mahashivratri concert will be presenting gems of classical dance and music such as Raja Radha Reddy, Ashwini Bhide, Rajendra Gangani, Aditi Sharma, Vagesh, Yamini and Bhavana Reddy and many talented youth from the field of dance and music as they perform Shiv Aradhana at the Natyatarangini building premises in Saket at 8:30 pm.
The featured artists will be dedicating their performances to Lord Shiva by showing different aspects of his existence in the form of various episodes of Lord Shiva’s leelas such as Neelkantha showing how he consumed poison to save people during samudra manthan; or the story of a boy whose life was protected by Shiva.