Rich history of Taramati Baradari retold through Kuchipudi

The

Taramati Baradari

is known for its grandeur and beauty. But it looked even more mesmerising on the evening of March 1, when the Persian styled historical sarai was lit up with beautiful lights; while notes of

Carnatic music

and the jingles of ghungroos reverberated across the venue.

The occasion was a

Kuchipudi

performance, choreographed and performed by Lalitha Sindhuri, a city-based danseuse along with her troupe. Narrating the remarkable love story between two courtesans —Taramati and Premamati — and the seventh king of Golconda kingdom, Abdullah Qutb Shah — the recital spoke about the power of love and advocated for peace. The performance intricately chronicled the mythical story of the prince-enjoying the lilting songs of the courtesan, while sitting in his fort, a couple of kilometers away and the enigmatic love story that followed. “The choreography was based on a 16th century Urdu poem that narrates the love story between the dancers and the

Sultan

and how they embraced each other despite their differences. The story talks about the power of love and how it transcends caste, creed, religion and social status,” said Lalitha.

The ambience of the historical establishment returned to its glory days as Lalitha and Mahati Bhikshu essayed a number of characters from the story enchanting the gathering. Vocalist Sweta Prasad along with Renuka Prasad on the nattuvangam, Sridharachari on the

mridangam

and Nanda Kumar and Pramod Kumar on sitar and flute, respectively, ably aided the dancers.

The soulful evening was organised by the US consulate in Hyderabad that donated a sum of Rs 70 lakh as a part of its endeavour to restore the historical site. A host of prominent people that included City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar and activist

Sunitha Krishnan

, among others, graced the occasion.