INTACH Srikakulam Chapter – Rural Folk festival in Dusi village, Amadalavalasa Mandal, Srikakulam district Back

Rural Folk festival in Dusi village, Amadalavalasa Mandal, Srikakulam district, A.P.

(8th – 12th May 2016)

 Dusi is a small heritage village in Amadalavalasa  mandal of  Srikakulam district. During the last two centuries this tiny sleepy village served the cause of preserving the intangible cultural heritage of this region by promoting folk arts, classical music and theater. The classical dance form Kuchipudi is said to have originated from an old folk art form called Bhamakalaapaam. Though the art form is almost on the verge of extinction , some old people of the community are found singing Daruvus even today. The folk instrument Mridangam helped the researchers from this village to reformulate the Perini shivathathandavam of Nataraja Ramakrishna, who revived it from the ancient Kakathiya period of 13th century AD.

The only community- festival of village Goddess Neeladevata is being performed every year as a heritage festival. This year the INTACH Srikakulam chapter attempted at restoring and bringing alive the glory of these original folk art forms .

The Convenor and members of INTACH Srikakulam chapter went to the village to organize the annual festival of the Goddess. The following folk arts were performed:

•  Tappeta gullu a folk art form ( Song and group dance) practiced by a community called Yadavas was performed. It is said that this is performed to save the communities livestock (sheep) from the wild animals during nights.
•  Bhamakalapam ,an ancient  folk art form of the Thoorpu bhagotham tradition. Athava Anjali and her sister Lakshmi were invited to performed this art form.
•  Balanagamma, a form of folk theater was performed throughout the  night.
• Performances on the last day of the festival:

1. Kolatam by girls a group dance with songs based on mythology
2. Vali sugreeva war from Ramayana
3. Thimsa, a tribal dance style from the remote area of Bhamini mandal in the Srikakulam district
4. Two South Indian classical music performances
5. Valisugreeva dance by children. They were trained in the village by  Labba Lakshmanarao, a senior artist .