Paramparaa is a non-profit organisation with deep concerns for heritage and culture. Under the patronage and guidance of eminent citizens of Hyderabad on the board, Paramparaa is working towards reviving art forms in temples and heritage spaces to bring back our rich cultural heritage. Paramparaa’s aim is to create awareness about forgotten dance forms and music in the society and sensitize common man to their cultural roots. Gudi Sambaraalu is one such attempt in this direction.

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India has a cultural heritage dating back to thousands of years with various genres of dance, music, theatre, puppetry, and visual arts, all of which have been a means of worship nurtured in temples and village squares. They not only bring joy to the performer and the audience but also provide an insight into ancient legends which inculcate spiritual values. It is our earnest endeavor to bring this back to today’s society which is fast losing touch with its cultural roots.

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Dance and music once used to be a prerogative of the elite and the learned who witnessed these programs in sabhas and auditoriums. Paramparaa Foundation’s venture of taking these dance forms by renowned artists to the masses helps to create a forum giving common man easy access to various art forms. It provides a way to disseminate knowledge about cultural symbolism and traditional practices thereby sensitizing the society on the whole – most importantly, today’s younger generation.

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Reviving traditional performing arts in the temple premises and heritage sites, we believe, also helps create awareness about the forgotten art forms and neglected religious and cultural spaces. Paramparaa Foundation’s work provides a platform for upcoming artists to get recognition and support to pursue performing art as a career. Paramparaa also aims to provide financial assistance to deserving artists.

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As we continue with exciting plans, our priority is to present you with unique and new experiences of an array of fine musicians and dancers. We look forward to your continued support and encouragement to help us integrate our cultural and natural heritage back into the mainstream of our everyday life.

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Gudi Sambaraalu is a festival series held by the Paramparaa Foundation that brings together artists from around the country to perform in sacred ancient temples and heritage sites across Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In addition to reviving art forms ranging from lesser-known styles of Kuttiyattam and Manipuri to the well-known Bharatnatyam and Kathak, the aim of Gudi Sambaraalu is also to identify ancient sites of cultural and religious significance and create awareness about their lost sheen.

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Paramparaa Foundation signifies the carrying forward of our cultural heritage to the future generation. India has had a long romance with art – be it dance, drama or music. These have a transcendental spiritual significance in our country. They are considered to be divine gifts of God and a way of worshiping the Gods. The origin of these performing arts can be traced back to temples, village squares and sacred spaces where people congregated to learn and appreciate the art forms. Since dance and music were originally an important part of the temple ritual, provision for an arena within the temple was distinct. Several temples in India have a “Natya mandapam”, lending an atmosphere of beauty and grace and encouraging the aesthetic value of the performing arts.

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On these very lines was born Gudi Sambaraalu – a beginning of a romance with art and culture – in 2015. Starting from the locales in and around Hyderabad, Gudi Sambaraalu has spread its wings across the remote temples of Telangana and moved on to capture the audience in and across Andhra. It brings together reputed artists and maestros of various dance forms to our temples. This has helped to discover and bring to light the many forgotten dance forms. It has been Paramparaa Foundation’s objective to give common man easy access to these various art forms, their significance, and cultural symbolism.

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Paramparaa Foundation’s ambitious plan has taken Gudi Sambaraalu Art and Culture Festival to the ancient temples of Srisailam, Srikalahasti, Simhachalam, Vijayawada, Warangal, Bhongir, Karimnagar and Hyderabad.

Performances so far included, to name a few, some of the best-known dance styles – bringing to light the intricate footwork of Kathak, soft lyrical symbolism of Odissi, the dance dramas of Kuchipudi, love-inspired raslilas of Manipuri, highly traditional Bharatnatyam, story plays and elaborate costumes of Kathakali and Kutiyattam.

We walk down the lanes of heritage, culture and knowledge hand in hand with people coming from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, opening avenues for the future generations to witness and appreciate the richness of their ancestry.

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Within six years of its origin, Paramparaa Foundation has had an impact on people. Its influence can be visible in the fact that many people today are conducting weddings in the temple courtyards and are nurturing music and dance by having upcoming artists perform on such meaningful occasions. There is a shift from traditional dance being encouraged by just elite art enthusiasts to being appreciated by the community as a whole.

Ushering the traditional dance and music back to our temples in a way that is appealing to common man, Gudi Sambaraalu brings to life the magic of a bygone era…