So finally I did manage to open my blog and, here goes my very first write-up!
Now dance is my passion, and believe it or not but, my very first act on stage was when I was just three years old. I was into Kathak. However there's one dance form which has intrigued me --it is Mohiniattam, or the dance of the enchantress.
This semi-classical dance form, is indigenous to Kerala. Literally meaning “the dance of the enchantress” (from Mohini, “a beautiful woman’ and attam, “dance”), it is performed solely by female artistes.
A woman-centric art form, Mohiniattam, explores themes of ‘sringara’ or love, and ‘lasya’ or grace, ideas echoed in Hindu mythology too. During amrit manthan - the churning of the celestial ocean for nectar, Lord Vishnu, took the form of the seductress Mohini, to entice the demon Bhamasura and ensuring that the God’s received the nectar and saved the universe from destruction. Thus the myth of the ‘enchantress’, or devotion to Vishnu, forms a core to any Mohiniattam recital.
The first mention of this dance form is found in the 16th century composition, ‘Vyavaharamala’ by Mazhamangalam Narayanan Namboodiri. However, it was not until the 19th century that this almost-fading art form was revived.
Though predominantly a solo dance, nowadays it is also performed in groups. Patterned on Bharatanatya with elements of Kathakali, Mohiniattam follows the basic dance steps of Adavus - Taganam, Jaganam, Dhaganam and Sammisram, which are rooted in Vaittari. Mohiniattam incorporates articulate expression of the eyes and graceful movements, as mentioned in the Hastha Lakshanadeepika guide to mudras.
The dance is enhanced by Carnatic accompanimets such as the thoppi, maddalam and veena, adding a vibrant milieu. However, these classical accoutrements, have now been replaced by the mridangam and violin.
The major artistes associated with Mohiniattam are Chinnammu Amma, Kalyani Kuttiamma, Kanak Rele, Sunanda Nair, Deepti Bhalla and Bharati Shivaji.
The repertoire of a Mohiniattam recital consists of five principal items, starting with cholkettu, then varnam, jatiswaram, padam and concluding with tillana. The dance starts off with cholkettu followed by varnam, which focuses on the expressions of the dancer. The third, padam, brings forth the histrionic talents of the dancer. The final act, tillana, ends in a flourish, expressing the artist's technical mastery of the art form.
Now dance is my passion, and believe it or not but, my very first act on stage was when I was just three years old. I was into Kathak. However there's one dance form which has intrigued me --it is Mohiniattam, or the dance of the enchantress.
This semi-classical dance form, is indigenous to Kerala. Literally meaning “the dance of the enchantress” (from Mohini, “a beautiful woman’ and attam, “dance”), it is performed solely by female artistes.
A woman-centric art form, Mohiniattam, explores themes of ‘sringara’ or love, and ‘lasya’ or grace, ideas echoed in Hindu mythology too. During amrit manthan - the churning of the celestial ocean for nectar, Lord Vishnu, took the form of the seductress Mohini, to entice the demon Bhamasura and ensuring that the God’s received the nectar and saved the universe from destruction. Thus the myth of the ‘enchantress’, or devotion to Vishnu, forms a core to any Mohiniattam recital.
The first mention of this dance form is found in the 16th century composition, ‘Vyavaharamala’ by Mazhamangalam Narayanan Namboodiri. However, it was not until the 19th century that this almost-fading art form was revived.
Though predominantly a solo dance, nowadays it is also performed in groups. Patterned on Bharatanatya with elements of Kathakali, Mohiniattam follows the basic dance steps of Adavus - Taganam, Jaganam, Dhaganam and Sammisram, which are rooted in Vaittari. Mohiniattam incorporates articulate expression of the eyes and graceful movements, as mentioned in the Hastha Lakshanadeepika guide to mudras.
The dance is enhanced by Carnatic accompanimets such as the thoppi, maddalam and veena, adding a vibrant milieu. However, these classical accoutrements, have now been replaced by the mridangam and violin.
The major artistes associated with Mohiniattam are Chinnammu Amma, Kalyani Kuttiamma, Kanak Rele, Sunanda Nair, Deepti Bhalla and Bharati Shivaji.
The repertoire of a Mohiniattam recital consists of five principal items, starting with cholkettu, then varnam, jatiswaram, padam and concluding with tillana. The dance starts off with cholkettu followed by varnam, which focuses on the expressions of the dancer. The third, padam, brings forth the histrionic talents of the dancer. The final act, tillana, ends in a flourish, expressing the artist's technical mastery of the art form.
1 comment:
Never knew madam was into dancing...a good post, keep it up. Regards-Bijit
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