Smt.Saride Manikyamma
One of the famous court and temple dancers of the 20th century.
Dancing
in the Temple as a traditional custom from our ancient period. Dancing
in the Temple as a prayer to God by a Temple Dancer (Devadasi) in India
is renowned. The Temple dancer plays a major role in prayers in the
Temple. She is respected along with the priest of the Temple.
One
of the famous 20th temple dancers in Smt. Saride Manikyamma Garu. Smt.
Saride Manikyamma Garu was born in West Godavari district, ballipadu
village in the year 1921.
Father - Sri Saride Sanyasi
Mother - Gowramma
Grandmother - Saride Seshachalamma.
Smt.Saride Manikyamma Garu started learning dance from Smt. Dasari Mahalakshamma garu. Later Smt.Saride Manikyamma Garu learnt Abhinaya Darpanam, Bharathavarnam. As a Classical dancer she was proficient in temples dances, traditions, rituals, prayers, music, Indian epics. Smt.Saride Manikyamma Garu started learning all these from her childhood. At the age of 9 she sharted her discipline as a Temple dancer (Devadasi) in temple.
She was a dancer in Bullipadu Madanagopala swamy temple (17th Century temple). She was famous for Adhatyama Ramayana keerthanalu. She learned this keerthalu from shri. Purisella Subba rayudu garu.
Endowment Act - Devadasi Act
Due to this act, Andhra Natyam or Temple Dance got a break.
Dancing in Temples has stopped. This changed the lives of many dancers. Smt. Saride Manikyamma Garu struggled a lot during this time. Over time, Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna Garu (Renowned Kuchipudi Dancer) convened a seminar of lasya dance artists in 1970 at Rajahmundry at Andhra Pradesh's Sangeet Nataka Academy. Smt. Saride Manikyamma Garu played a prominent role in this seminar.
Potti Sriramulu University lecturer Smt. Suvarchala Devi was the student Smt. Saride Manikyamma Garu.
Dr. Padmasri Nataraja Ramakrishna garu played an important role in the recreation of Temple Dance and named it Andhra Natyam (Classical Temple Dance of Telugu Region). Andhra refers to telugu as the name of the dance.
