Vijayawada: Onthe auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, Hamsadhwani Kuchipudi Nrityalaya, Vijayawada paid rich tributes to Dr Ch Ajay Kumar, a renowned young Kuchipudi dance guru, through a grand Guru Puja held on Thursday evening at Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju Kala Vedika, Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Government Music and Dance College here.
Continuing the revered tradition of honouring gurus on this sacred day, the disciples of Dr Ajay Kumar expressed their deep gratitude and reverence for their mentor. The event was marked by both devotion and celebration, with more than 200 dancers participating in the tribute.
Among the participants were several of Ajay Kumar’s senior disciples who have themselves grown into accomplished dance teachers. Notables among them included Niharika, Sushma, Padusha, Chaitanya, Vighnesh, Utpala, Sailaja, Pranathi, Divya, Kundanika, Sandep, Navya Suvarna, Prasanna, Surendra, Mohita, Monika, and Gayatri, all of whom once trained under Dr Ajay Kumar and are now imparting Kuchipudi to the next generation.
The evening featured a vibrant lineup of classical Kuchipudi dance performances by current students including Abhinaya, Lasya, Vokaua, Pushkara, Saranya, Jyothika, Hussin, Bhargavi, Yamini, and Nikita.
The dancers presented a repertoire of traditional compositions such as ‘Swagata nrityam’, ‘Ganesh Stuti’, ‘Cheri Yashodaku’, ‘Chandana Cherchita’, ‘Alarulu Kuriyaga’, ‘Ananda Tandavam’, ‘Kattedura’ and ‘Tiruveedhulu’, leaving the audience spellbound with their grace and precision.
The event was further enriched by the presence of esteemed guests: K Lakshminarasamma, Principal of the Music and Dance College, along with prominent dance gurus Ch Srinivas, ‘Padmasri’ Hemath, and Usha Madhavi, who graced the occasion and lauded the dedication of both guru and disciples.
The programme was meticulously organised by senior disciples including Niharika, Sushma, Divya, Vighnesh, Taniya, and Pranathi, whose efforts ensured the success of the event.
The celebration not only highlighted the guru-shishya Parampara but also stood as a testimony to the growing legacy of Dr Ajay Kumar in the field of Kuchipudidance.
