Hyderabad : In a rare of sorts, Golconda was the venue for Jayaho Colconda & Telangana Vaibhavam Cultural program held on Wednesday night.  It was organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation Hyderabad Chapter.

Eminent dancer, choreographer, one of the leading exponents of the Kuchipudi Art from in the present times along with her 25 disciples presented   beautifully conceptualized and specially choregraphed thematic dance pieces.

The 300 plus audience were taken taken on an exhilarating journey showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Hyderabad and Telangana with the magnificient backdrop of Golconda Fort.

“Jayaho Golconda” an ode to the ruler of Golconda, Abul Hasan Taneshah followed by “Telengana Vaibhavam”, a thematic presentation showcasing historic tourist and pilgrimage destinations and poets of Telangana.

Hyderabad has a history of rulers of Golconda promoting music and dance with catholicity. Abul Hasan Taneshah a noted ruler of this dynasty is historically renowned for his fascination for performing arts and more particularly his contribution in the recognition of Kuchipudi style of dance and the encouragement he extended to its artistes of the time.

The item depicted an episode where Abul Hasan Taneshah witnessed a performance by artists of this style.  He was so enthralled by the rhythm and beauty of the dance and the skillful presentation by the artistes , that he instantly gave them the village of Kuchipudi as a gift.

The lyrics therefore in essence—hailed the ruler of Golconda, Abul Hasan Tanesha—lover, promter and benefactor of this art.

The second part of the performance which lasted for 33 minutes was Talangana Vaibhavam.  Which is again a thematic presentation that showcased the historic tourist destinations, important pilgrim centers and renowned poets of Telangana and the blend of various cultures in Hyderabad over the centuries.

It was written by Vaddepalli Krishna, Music Composition and vocal by eminent musician Sri DSV Sastry and Deepika Reddy conceptualized and choreographed and Directed the program.

Her disciples who danced along with Deepika Reddy include Sudhir Rao as Tanish, Surendranath, Shobha Reddy, Ritika, Harika, Vnitna, Chetana, Prerana Reddy, Keerthana and others.

Golconda Fort was a perfect setting.  It was a different kind of a cultural program where the dancer Deepika Reddy and 25 students spoke heritage through their dance said Padma Rajgopal, Chairperson of FICCI Ladies Organization (Flo), Hyderabad Chapter.

Deepika Reddy is one of the leading exponents of the Kuchipudi art form in the present times.  She is a renowned dancer, choreographer, guru and cultural ambassador, Padma informed.

It was a unique event in many aspects with a purpose, described Padma Rajgopal.  It was rare, and not many are fortunate to witness it in the backdrop of the Heritage monument like Golconda. The Citadel, Golconda fort was the perfect setting for the theme of the cultural program. Our team has strived hard to put up the show together.  It was an event exclusively organized for FLO members.  informed Padma Rajgopal.

Deepika has performed extensively in prestigious dance festivals in India and abroad.  Some of her significant performances are the closing ceremony of the Festival of India in Berlin, Germany; Rashtrapathi Bhavan in the presence of President of India, Prime Minister of India and the Russian President.  The other include the Sri Lankan Parliament; the inaugural of “Year of India” at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia; she being conferred honorary citizenship after her performance in Hiroshima, Japan; International Festival of Bangkok and Jeonjhu Sori International Festival, South Korea. Other places she has performed are France, Serbia, Singapore, Turkey, Indonesia, Germany and the United States. She choreographed and presented Kuchipudi in the production “Ritu Samhar” directed by Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Deepika Reddy is the recipient of many awards, notable among them includes: Telangana Govt. State Award on June 2, 2016; ‘Kala Ratna’ the highest award conferred by the state of Andhra Pradesh in 2007

She was a member of Regional Film Censor Board, the jury of Nandi State Film Awards and former Chairperson of the Cultural Committee of the International Children’s Film Festival.

With a passion for taking forward Kuchipudi to the next generation, Deepika Reddy founded Deepanjali, an institute striving for excellence in the field of Kuchipudi where she has imparted training to hundreds of students.

Productions of Deepanjali have been well appreciated by critics and audiences alike. These include ‘Stri Trayam’, ‘Jayosthu Kuchipudi’, ‘Andhramu’, ‘Tyagaraja Bhakthi Vaibhavam’, ‘Rang’, ‘Ramaneeya Prakrithi’, ‘Vande Shambum’, ‘Griha kalpam’, ‘Prakrithi Rakshathi Rakshithaha’, ‘Hari Hara Vaibhavam’, ‘Vaidyo Narayano Harihi’, ‘Shiva Satheeyam’ and ‘Telangana Vaibhavam’.

For Deepika dance is not only a passion but worship of the divine art