Bharatanatyam by Vidushi Preethikala Puttur
- Bharatanatyam by Vidushi Preethikala Puttur in ‘Nrityaantaranga’ dance series:-
Puttur: ‘Nrityaantaranga’, a regular series of Indian Classical Dance performances conducted by Sri Mookambika Cultural Academy® of Puttur recently arranged for Bharatanatyam performance by Vidushi Preethikala in Shashi Shankara Hall, Academy premises in Puttur recently.The evening was inaugurated by Vidwan Ramakrishna Bhat by lighting the lamp. Speaking on to the audience Ramakrishna Bhat pointed out the positive consequences of these dance series which help in creating a good ambiance for dance and educating the audience about the nuances of classical arts.
He told the pupils to make good use of such opportunities in moulding the artistes within them. Vidwan B. Deepak Kumar, Director of Sri Mookamika Cultural Academy conducted the event and welcomed the gathering and gave some information about the aim and achievements of Nrityaantaranga. Sindhuralakshmi Kanneppady, academy’s student introduced the artiste to the audience. Indira Santhosh, one of the parents of students talked on behalf of the spectators. On this occasion Academy also arranged for the series of lecture demonstration. Apoorva Devasya gave a Talk on ‘Pushpanjali Nrityabandha’. The trustees of the Academy Bhavani Shankar, Shashi Prabha and Vidwan Girish Kumar were present on the occasion.
Profile of Vidushi Preethikala Puttur:
Preethikala, daughter of Sri K Sudhakar, Prema Sudhakar and wife of Vidwan B Deepak Kumar, Director and choreographer Sri Mookambika Cultural Academy, Puttur had her scholarly training in Bharathanatyam under the renowned Guru Vidushi Yasha Ramakrishna, Director Hejje-Gejje Manipal. Preethi has experienced the new dimensions of the art by attending workshops where she was guided by the legendary gurus like Padmashri Adayar K Lakshmanan, Bragha Bassel and Sheejith Krishnan.
Preethikala was fortunate enough to experience the unique training of Manipuri regional dances in a workshop under the guidance of legendary artiste Padmashri Darshana Zhaveri. Preethikala is also a professional in Karnatic music. She has her initial training in karnatic music under the careful and loving guidance of her grandfather Late Vidwan K Madhava Acharya, Udupi where she completed her Junior grade exam with the distinction. Later she started learning under Vidushi Uma Udayashankar, Manipal under whose guidance she completed her Senior grade exam successfully. Later on, she had her advanced and scholarly guidance for Vidwat exam under the watchful eyes of Late Vidwan Shrinath Marate, Vidwan Madhoor P Balasubramaniam and Vidushi Madhavi Bhat.
Preethikala attended workshops directed by some scholars in Karnatic music like Dr T S Satyavathi, Neela Ramgopal, M S Vidya, R K Padmanabha of Bangalore and Chengalpet Ranganathan, Suguna Purushothaman, G Ravikiran of Chennai where she learnt many different techniques of South Indian classical music. Preethikala, who has done Bachelors in Arts, completed her Vidwat Grade examination in both Bharathanatyam and Karnatic Music with flying colours and she is the only artiste in coastal Karnataka who has passed Vidwat grade exam of new syllabus in both art forms i.e., Bharathanatyam and Karnatic Music. She has received State scholarship from Sangeetha Nritya Academy for Bharathanatyam and also Central Government scholarship from Ministry of Culture in the field of Bharathanatyam.
She did her Arangetram in Bharathanatyam successfully on 6th December 2008 at Rajangana, Shri Krishna Math Udupi. She has given more than 400 stage performances and has actively participated in the dance productions of Hejje-Gejje. To name a few are Udupi Paryaya Utsav, Karavali Nrityakala Parishat’s festival in Mangalore, Vishnudasa Memorial Trust Festival in Mysore, Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sammelana in Udupi, ‘INCIDENT’ a cultural Fest conducted by NITK Surathkal and some of the International conferences held in Manipal. Presently she is under going the training in dance from her husband Vidwan Deepak Kumar,
She has also given many music concerts, both classical and semi-classical. She is an artiste of AIR, Mangalore. She has rendered her service as a dance and music teacher at the reputed Little Rock Indian School Brahmavar and Sharada Vidyaniketana Public School Talapady Mangalore. Presently she is assisting her husband in their home productions of the academy. Preethi has also to her credit singing in Bangalore Doordarshan for ‘Noopura Nada’, a programme related to classical dance and she has a unique quality of doing Nattuvangam along with vocal simultaneously. She has given Karnatic concerts in Perdur, Manipal, for Navarathri festivals in Kollur, Dharmasthala, ‘Udyanavanadalli Sanjeya Raga’ a programme series in Udupi, ‘Purandaradasa Aradhanothsava’ in Udupi and Surathkal which were all arranged by Kannada & Culture Department, Udupi.
Preethikala’s Achievements:
– First in national level Bharathanatyam competition conducted by Paryaya Shri Krishnapura Mutt, Shri Krishna Mutt Udupi.
– First prize along with the rolling trophy at the national level music competition conducted by Gopinathadasa Nyasa Trust, Bengaluru.
– Third in national level Bharathanatyam competition conducted by Gopinathadasa Nyasa Trust Bengaluru.
– Sadguru Sadhana Ratna Award from Guru Sai International Cultural Academy Bangalore.
– Mahadeva Award and Kalashree Award from shree Mahadeva Education Trust, Kundapur for the achievement in both the field of music and dance.
– State level Yuvapratibha-2006 award from Kannada and Culture Department Bengaluru.
– Recipient of prestigious ARYABHATA INTERNATIONAL AWARD for Dance and Music in the year 2013.
– Recipient of State scholarship from Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy for Bharathanatyam and semi-classical music.