BHAIRAVI’S ANGER: Exploring Physician Recovery from Alcoholism Through Kuchipudi Dance | Supraja Chittari

About 10-15 percent of physicians experience addiction, but never seek help. A recent article in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings states “Although the nature and scope of addictive disease are commonly reported in the lay press, the problem of physician addiction has largely escaped the public’s attention. This is not due to physician immunity from the problem, because physicians have been shown to have addiction at a rate similar to or higher than that of the general population. Additionally, physicians’ addictive disease (when compared with the general public) is typically advanced before identification and intervention. This delay in diagnosis relates to physicians’ tendency to protect their workplace performance and image well beyond the time when their life outside of work has deteriorated and become chaotic.”

Addiction is a complex disorder involving mind, body, and spirit. In this piece, a physician battles with alcohol addiction and is unable to find help. The invocation of the demi-goddess Bhairavi, a defeater of evil and rage, at the end reminds us of the deeper roots addiction has on people and reveals how much strength one needs to overcome it. This piece hopes to expand our assumptions of addiction and support those journeying through it to seek help, especially those physicians who, if ignored, could never find the help they need in such stressful, isolating times. This piece was choreographed to "Metamorphosis," performed by Anoushka Shankar.

Supraja Chittari began training in Kuchipudi from age nine with Ms. Mallika Ramprasad, and later with Ms.Anuradha Nehru and Mr. Kishore Mosalikanti at Kalanidhi Dance and performed her solo debut recital in July 2014. Chittari founded the first competitive classical dance team, Aradhya, at the University of Virginia and choreographed Smaranam and Ekam on terrorism and humanity respectively. Currently, Chittari is a PhD candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill in Chemistry and continues to pursue her work blending her passion for dance, science, and social justice. She is the choreographer of this piece as an Aseemkala CORE Fellow.