 |
    |
|
|
 Vempati - The architect of Kuchipudi's soul- Aruna Rekha Varanasye-mail: rekhavaranasy@gmail.com Photos courtesy Internet July 29, 2025 This morning, as I sat on my balcony sipping filter coffee, the Mumbai monsoon whispered against the glass. I played my favourite Kuchipudi tracks - the same ones I've heard thousands of times over the past thirty-five years. And yet, not once have they lost their magic. Not once have the rhythms dulled, or the choreography faded into monotony. Across the world, in Telugu homes where young dancers rehearse and gurus guide, his presence is still felt. In every ankle bell, every chari, every jathi, there echoes the imprint of Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. His legacy isn't just remembered, it's lived.  Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam Thirty-five years of Kuchipudi. Nothing but dance. It has shaped my identity, my voice, my life and now, my career. Who do I owe this to? Without hesitation, my Guru, Dr. S. Krishna Kumar. But then, the larger question: who do we all owe it to? Who is the foundation on which modern Kuchipudi stands? Without a doubt, it is Vempati Garu - the visionary who gave structure to spirit, order to rhythm, and soul to movement. Yes, Kuchipudi existed before him. But what blossomed in his hands was something altogether different - a new vocabulary, a refined aesthetic, a living, breathing art form. He didn't just teach jathis. He orchestrated them. He didn't simply add charis. He sculpted them into kinetic poetry. He was born in Kuchipudi village, Andhra Pradesh, into a family that had dance in its blood. Even as a young boy, the rhythm seemed to course through his veins. He trained under the legendary Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry and later refined his craft under Tadepally Perrayya Sastry and his own elder brother, Vempati Pedda Satyam. But destiny had something far greater in store. In 1963, with nothing but a burning dream and undying devotion to art, he founded the Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai. What started as a humble space for learning soon transformed into a sanctum of classical dance, a place where the soul of Kuchipudi was sculpted, polished, and presented to the world. It was from here that he breathed life into legendary dance-dramas like Ksheera Sagara Madhanam, Ardhanareeswaram, and Srinivasa Kalyanam - compositions that didn't just entertain, but enchanted; that didn't just narrate stories, but carved epics in motion. Through these masterpieces, he elevated Kuchipudi from a regional tradition to a global phenomenon. My Guru, a proud disciple of Vempati Garu, often shared stories from the Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai, not an institution, but a Gurukul, where art wasn't just taught, it was breathed. The sound of nattuvangam resounded like divine thunder in the air. Film stars, seasoned performers, aspiring artistes and everyone sought his guidance. Morning and evening sessions, blistered feet, bleeding heels, and yet no one missed a class. Not out of fear. But because missing his presence felt like missing a divine offering. That was the spell he cast. That was the reverence he inspired.  With Dr. Vempati Chinna Sathyam in my younger days My own interaction with him was brief, but unforgettable. I finally had the opportunity to perform before him. My heart pounded, but my spirit soared. I presented choreographies by my Guru, and some of Vempati Garu's own masterpieces. He blessed me. He praised me. And then, to my astonishment he invited me and my Guru to his home. That moment remains etched in gold. Later, during my time in Chennai, I was fortunate to spend more time around him. I even invited him to my Guruji's birthday celebration and he came. I still treasure the photograph from that day. A frame frozen in time, a memory alive forever. On his death anniversary, I asked myself: What can I do for him? Write about him? But does he need an introduction? No. Am I qualified to write about him? Probably not. So why write at all? Because some stories must be told, no matter who tells them. Even the mere fact that he once walked 200 kilometres with just ₹2 in his pocket to learn Kuchipudi and that alone is reason enough. He is the embodiment of how far passion can take you. But passion wasn't his only strength. His success was carved from relentless hard work. He didn't just practice Kuchipudi, he rebuilt it. Reorganized. Restructured. Beautified. He gave it global identity. Today, thousands of Kuchipudi dancers and gurus owe their careers to him. He took an art form that was slowly fading and elevated it first across India, then across the world. In my quest to understand him better, I reached out to those who had spent real time with him, people who had lived within his orbit. Most poignantly, I called Guru Bala Kondala Rao, affectionately known as Bala Akka. She spoke swiftly, with clarity and awe. Her memories were crisp and still alive in her bones. "I grew up in his Gurukul," she said. "I'd eat there, go to school from there, rehearse, live. At 1am or 3am, he would summon me and without question, I would change into my practice saree and rush." "What would he ask you to dance?" I asked. She laughed. "We never asked. You don't ask Guruji questions. It wasn't fear, it was respect." She remembers how he would begin choreography on the spot, often with just a few instinctive movements. His mind was always working. Sleep was a luxury. Creation was his only rest. She recalled how once, during Srinivasa Kalyanam, she even had to play the role of a cow. "It wasn't easy," she chuckled. "But it was part of the journey." She has now danced his pieces for sixty years. "I grew up around him. He was like a father to me," she said. Their bond was so deep, she often understood his instructions before he even spoke. A quote or a line that encapsulates their silent understanding: "Mounam vyākya prakaṭita parama brahmam." The silence of the Guru is enough for the disciple to receive the ultimate truth. According to her, it all began because he felt Kuchipudi wasn't getting the respect it deserved. His mission? To give it structure, dignity, and global recognition. Once he had refined the jathis and charis, and beautified the choreographies, he started conducting workshops, calling all Kuchipudi gurus and dancers of the time. He taught them the reorganized style, clarified the tala systems, and explained the structure of the jaathis.  Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam My Guru often says that the most remarkable aspect of his style lies in Anga Suddhi (purity and precision of limbs) and Shilpam (sculptural alignment). His jathis flow with nadaka - a lyrical rhythm echoing the pulse of mridangam, tabla, dholak, and pakwāz. His choreography is a rhythmic goldmine, layered with knowledge and grace. He respected tradition but also innovated. He maintained the Natya Shastra's structure while making Kuchipudi Sarva Jana Ranjakam or appealing to the common audience. This opened doors to cinema. He adapted items like Anandatandavam for the silver screen without diluting their classical soul. Yes, there were critics. Some called his style "non-traditional" or "cinematic." But time answered them. His style wasn't a detour. It became the standard. Today, thousands of dancers continue to train and perform in his format. His style has become the very backbone of Kuchipudi. From Brahmanjali to Brindavana Nilaye, from Sancharadadhara to Marakatha Mani Maya Chela, from Dasavataram to Shivashtakam, these aren't just choreographies anymore. They are prayers in motion, stories with a heartbeat, devotion carved into rhythm. To me, and to all Kuchipudi artistes, Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam was a sage who treated his art as penance. A Yashasvi who earned fame, yet remained a Tapasvi, immersed in his sadhana. We don't know what Bharata Muni looked like. We don't know how Siddhendra Yogi lived. But for our generation, he was our Bharata Muni. He was our Yogi. He was the architect of the Kuchipudi we breathe today. So, on this sacred day, I fold my hands and bow deeply to Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam. You were not just a dancer. You were a messenger of beauty. A master of bhāva, rāga, and tāla. Your spirit dances in every angikam, every abhinayam. Vempati Sir, I owe you my art. I owe you my devotion. But above all, I owe you this way of life. Thank you.  Kuchipudi exponent Aruna Rekha Varanasy is the director of Natya Rasika and Raag Rasika dance and music schools in Mumbai. Post your comments Please provide your name and email id along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name and email id in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
