Devadasi's tale of devotion

DRESSED in a resplendent blue-green costume, Dr. Smitha Madhav, along with 40 of her disciples, brought to life a decades-old tale once heard only through the airwaves.

- VENNAPUSALA RAMYA

DRESSED in a resplendent blue-green costume, Dr. Smitha Madhav, along with 40 of her disciples, brought to life a decades-old tale once heard only through the airwaves. At Ravindra Bharati, the stage transformed into the majestic court of the Vijayanagara Empire as Sirikakolanu Chinnadi unfolded, a poignant story of love, faith, art, and power under the reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya.

Originally penned in 1969 by the revered poet Sri Veturi Sundararama Murthy, Sirikakolanu Chinnadi (The Maiden from Sirikakulam) tells the story of Aliveni, a devadasi and ardent devotee of Sri Krishna. Set against the opulence and contradictions of Krishnadevaraya's court, the narrative explores Aliveni's unwavering dedication to classical art and her spiritual path, a devotion that ironically renders her vulnerable to manipulation by those closest to her.

"In this work, Veturi garu raises timeless questions about faith, power, and the role of art in society; questions that resonate just as deeply today," Dr. Smitha notes.