KUCHIPUDI

The storyline goes like this.It is said that there was once an orphan of Srikakulam ,who was raised by the villagers.He was married at childhood as was the custom of the time.Later he was sent to Udipi for vedic studies.There he acquired the name Siddhendra Yogi.He returned to Srikakulam after acquiring mastery in his studies.The knowledge of vedas had inspired him into a different life.But the villagers admonished him to go back to his wife and take up family responsibilities.On the way, he had to cross a river.As he was swimming across ,he realised he could not proceed further.He then called the almighty to save him and upon reaching the shore he renounced worldly life and became a sanyasi.He settled in Kuchelapuram and instructed Brahmin boys in devotional dance drams based upon religious themes.These religious plays were presented as offerings to god in the traditon of Natya Shastra.Kuchipudi was thus nurtured by great scholars and artists and flourished as as a dramatic form of dance for hundreds of years.It was held in high esteem by the rulers of Deccan.