Slumdog is a brilliant film, and i fail to understand what's disturbing the likes of Mr Bachchan and Priyadarshan - is it insecurity, that a white man came to mumbai and created a stir with his fascinatng portrayal of the city's slums, considered a blotch on swanky India's image and something that cannot be shown to the rest of the world. Or do these prominent voteries of masaala movies, feel threatened - afterall a Slumdog, with its intrinsic "indian" subject has been shown more convincingly- something that most mainstream bollywood films can only aspire for.
There's nothing wrong with our brand of desi cinema- complete with their song and dance routines; but most of our films are not even convincing enough, with lacklustre subjects and childish portrayals. What john abraham and abhishek's character did in 'dostana' was utterly ludicrous and ended up making a mockery of a sensitive subject.
It's sad that a Mr. Bachchan should make such foolish remarks on Ray's films,(while speaking in context of Slumdog) - that Ray's films consciously depicted India's poverty to attract international viewership. One can only suggest the so called 'living legend' of bollywood cinema to jog his brains and recollect how many of Ray's films have actually depicted poverty or consciously dealt with that subject. Ray's subjects had variety - from exploring themes on man-woman relationships, corporate politics, friendship, children's fantasy ....the themes are endless - something that most voteries of Bollywood cinema cannot probably even begin to imagine.

The vanishing minstrels of Bengal

While visiting a newly constructed mall in Kolkata recently, I came across two Bauls, singing vociferously near the gargantuan structure, in an effort to attract whatever little attention they could from the nattily clad 20-somethings hanging around there. The contrast, all too prominent - two shabbily dressed itinerant singers in bright ochre, with the simple ektara (one stringed musical instrument) standing before what could be described as one of emerging India’s pleasure-seeking hotspots…(if only I had a camera to capture that moment, I rue now!)

The receding communities of Bauls, once (and probably still now, to a great extent) a leitmotif in Bengal’s cultural landscape, are itinerant singers, known for their musical rendition of themes such as love, brotherhood, man’s eternal spirit and unity with the almighty. Somewhat similar in spirit to the troubadours of Europe and Sufi singers, the music of Bauls captures these themes through evocative yet simple lyrics.

Ironically, it’s in the West that today’s bauls are still finding patient audiences for their kind of music– hopefully this enchanting folk music won't die an unknown death here in India, its place of origin!

still ruminating...

After spending a lovely christmas weekend in Cal, its back to the capital again - with its chilling cold, morose fog and generally gloomy weather. Sordid reminders of chillier days ahead creeps into my mind which is still immersed in the happiness and cheer of last week....Park Street was lovely as always; only that the number of billboards and kiosks has considerably increased in all these years and young people, by which i mean the 20-somethings are definitely far more nattily dressed than when we walked these legendary streets in shabby jeans and casual T's....six years is indeed a long time!

Christmas in good ol' Cal

Nearly a fortnight is left before we can wish each other a 'Merry Christmas', but my mind is already there, in good ol' Cal - conjuring up images of a brightly lit Park Street and Park Circus, the grand midnight mass at St. Paul's Cathedral, an effervescent Flurys and Nahoums selling its delectable fare, and a colourful New Market where frantic last-minute shopping for christmas trees, stuffed Santas and colourful confetti is on for the big day.
Its been over 6 years since I have been in the city for Christmas; and this time around, when I am keenly hoping to be there, the very thought of it makes my heart skip. For those who are not from Kolkata, its a feeling hard to come by and even fathom. Christmas in Kolkata, during a pleasant December end, is "different", charming and cheerful. Those fond memories kept crawling back every year...this year I will be there to relive them once more!

Music, books and love…in a time of recession

The other day, while speaking to a friend, I learned, how the present economic slowdown has affected our lives in more ways than one…Apart from the financial crunch which we all seem to be struggling with i.e eating-out less, cutting down on movies as well as the habitual splurges - here’s what a few of my friends/acquaintances, who have either received the dreaded pink slip, or are sitting idle in office are up to these days.

Vikram – is learning photography and writing more.

Ritika – is detoxing somewhere near the turquoise shores of Thailand. Her new found interests post-the job loss, includes, yoga and reading books on spirituality.

Varun – has found “true love”…(wonder whether the girl shares the same sentiment though??)

Atul – is helping his wife with cooking these days…(my thumbs-up for that!!!)

Prachi – is seriously contemplating taking up music, her first love, as a full-time career option.

***All names have been changed to protect privacy of the individuals.

It’s Cheers to the Bengali sondesh now…

The Bengali’s love for the venerable sweetmeat or ‘mishti’, as Bengalis call it, is as feted as is his intellectual fervour. Everytime I have returned from Kolkata, a bagful of mishtidoi (sweet curd), rasgolla, or sondesh (of different shapes and sizes) have been stuffed into malleable polythenes, each to be handed later to my many non-bengali and Bengali friends/colleagues residing in Delhi. Often the sweetmeats would dissapear within minutes of the boxes being opened – with my hungry friends hankering for more…and complaining simultaneously that the quantity was too less!!

The other day, while rummaging through the newspaper, I read that a well-known Bengali confectioner had introduced what he termed as the “Rum-Sondesh”, i.e sondesh laden with rum…. Now, I don’t know how many of my friends have already read that news piece…. but I can well imagine what my bagful of sweets would weigh on my next return from Kolkata!

P: S - In an unfamiliar little lane near Russel Street, in Kolkata, you can also find ‘rum-phuchka’ that’s nothing but delicious pani-puri served with rum instead of tamarind water...'Rum'-pum-pum...I can already hear you guys singing!!

A musical tribute

Yesterday, music lovers from all across the city braved the chill of a crisp December evening to gather at Delhi’s Nehru Park. The occasion – Music at the Park, an event promoted by Spicmacay, which had invited sarod- maestro Amjad Ali Khan.

Dressed in his trademark churidaar-kurta, the sarod master took to the stage with an appeal for world peace and harmony; and thanked the 300-odd audiences who had turned up despite “red alerts” issued across the city post 26/11.

As he strummed the firm chords of the sarod, playing the lilting ‘Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye je’ (gandhiji’s favourite bhajan), a carnatic piece, a newly composed concerto and many more compositions, the crowds listened rapt - enjoying the Ustaad’s every delicate move and nimble manouever on the sarod, as well as the impish challenges he put forward to the tabla players, to match up to his skills.

P.S: music lovers, as I have already mentioned in this write-up had turned up to savour the fine tunes of the sarod. There were those who enjoyed music, those who were connoisseurs, some who wanted to learn more about Indian classical music and others who wanted to catch a glimpse of the Ustaad himself. However there was one cheerful Indian fellow sitting behind me, explaining frantically to his firaang friends about Amjad Ali Khan’s music and his mastery over the “santoor”. …WAIT. Did I hear that correctly – the SANTOOR? Yes, the SANTOOR it was, which he repeated time and again and confidently so, throughout his mini-lesson on Indian music to credulous foreign guests!!

Is India still shining??

The much-hyped phrase “India shining” seems to have lost its sheen very drastically…its “India blazing” now…full of black smoke and soot, symbolically captured in the burning of the Taj hotel. The outpouring of anger and frustration of the citizens of this country is completely justified – after all, for years it’s the common man, who has borne the brunt of callous governance.

It has taken a 26/11 for us Indians to sit up and take note – the intelligentsia and the affluent are FINALLY speaking. These affluent voices were never so strong during the 2006 blasts of Mumbai or the series of terror strikes in Delhi, Jaipur or Bangalore. 26/11 is nothing but a rude shock for US, the affluent Indian – we are shaken out of our wits because we are finally scared.

In its 60 years of existence as a “free” nation India has added quite a few colourful feathers to its vast repertoire of achievements. However, basic minimum amenities of food, shelter and clean water still remain a distant dream for millions in this country – add to that widespread poverty, illiteracy, caste divide, female infanticide, regionalism, a neglected north-east…. well the list just goes on…So are we indeed free then?

To put it across very simply, in countries like Norway, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Switzerland and many other nations, the human development index is rich because the state and its citizens act ‘responsibly’ – social welfare, education, economic development and life expectancy are the prime pillars for a “quality life”. India on the other hand is a burning cauldron – with its own social ills, grave economic divisions between classes, and crass politics; and until these frayed issues are cooled it is in vain for a country like ours to proclaim itself to be “shining”.

Its time we did some serious soul-searching and asked some basic questions - are we indeed “responsible” citizens? Is it not time to get our own house in order first before pointing the finger of blame at others?

Mumbai

We have seen it all, 24 hr television, online news, blogs and on social networking sites – the trauma, the scare and the bloodbath perpetrated in the three-day long siege of a city we all love. Amidst the shock, the distress and the death there was one piece of news that trickled into our humdrum lives – my close relative had lost a very good friend by the name of Kaizad. Kaizad, a Taj hotel staff lost his life inside the kitchen, after receiving 3 gunshots. He was on his way to becoming one of India's most sought-after young chefs. In his last moments, Kaizad called some of his closest friends, in an effort maybe to say a final ‘goodbye’.

For me Kaizad is just a casual acquaintance – someone I had met only once at a relative’s wedding – a tall, strappy fellow in his mid twenties, marked by a quiet and calm demeanour. Images of that wedding night flicker in my mind…and more poignantly now.

Kaizad is only one of those unknown faces amidst the many hundreds who have lost their lives in this dastardly act. And in the end, the so-called ‘spirit’ of Mumbai will indeed live on – hopefully our collective conscience will not forget this attack on our pride, our souls and our lives.

going,going…Gone

OK so the TATA’s have finally made up their minds –to bid adieu to the hostile terrain of singur. I saw the first rollout of machinery on huge trucks and felt like its big wheels were crushing all my hopes, prayers and earnest wishes for them to stay on – for the hundreds who need to earn a living, for the dwindling image of West Bengal and for poor old CM Bhattacharya’s sake. For every proactive step that he takes, a defiant and over-zealous CPM politburo and a recalcitrant leader by the name of Mamata di (if only she had an ounce of ‘mamata’ (compassion) left in her) crush all his hopes and condemn his efforts; so much so, that the poor old man is left fuming helplessly and ends up saying an unpalatable ‘sorry’ for even daring to speak up. So much for living in a democracy!!

The hills beckoned again...

The hills beckoned once again, and this time it was Mukteshwar. I had visited Mukteshwar about 5 years back, and was expecting it to have been ravaged by commercialisation like a la Nainital. But lo! The undulating greens, the rustling trees swathed the hills like it has been forever. The rains played spoilt sport and dashed all our hopes of trekking through the narrow pathways garlanding the hills – we were caught up indoors, either reading, listening to music, chatting or playing with my niece. And once the sun shone bright on the hills and the happy rainbow smiled from a corner, we were up and about – packed our umbrellas and water bottles in the blink of an eye and literally ran out of the hotel to savour every moment. The shiv-mandir, chauthi jaali and the view from the PWD bungalow were all part of this itinerary….by the end of it we were thirsty and somewhat hungry too, and were lucky to find a shabby roadside tea stall. I was kind of hesistant about the quality of tea that would be served in this scruffy little place…. but minutes later a man and his wife, sexagenarians both, walked upto us with happy faces and served the most amazing masaala chai I have had in years. We made ourselves comfortable on the roadside milestones and makeshift stone seats, while sipping tea and listening to stories of their life and living in these ardous hills…somewhat amazed at their tenacity and touched by their joi-de-vivre.

Dollops of ghee.....served with love!!!

Glorious, luxurious, magnanimous- I am still recovering from my recent visit to Amritsar. After a fulfilling visit to the peaceful Golden Temple, we took an auto to navigate our way through crowded roads, lanes and by lanes in our mission to find the best paranthas, delicious chicken tikka, rich lassi, crispy jalebi...(Ok, stop now, I can hear telling myself!!)
The love of a true-blue Punjabi for his guest is reflected in the quantity of food (mostly laden with dollops of ghee) he offers and kind of forces them to eat. We met many such jaunty restaurant owners, who loved food and loved it even more to watch their guests relish.

P.S: My gym instructor fails to understand how on earth I could possibly put on those 3 kilos in 3 days....the love of my Punjabi hosts is indeed showing!!!

Goa, Yoga or the Great Indian Wedding

Brand India added just another feather to its ever-increasing repertoire of achievements. From emerging as one of the largest economies in the world, it is now being touted as one of the world’s greatest holiday destinations offering the ‘authentic’ oriental experience—be it massages, marriages or medical tourism.
Once the much-hyped land of rope-walkers and snake-charmers, India is now basking in its newfound status as the spiritual and the spirited. The government, too, is investing millions in luring the globetrotters to the country’s exotic locales.
Liz-Hurley and Chatwal-Sachdev, the recent celebrity couples to marry in India, were extravaganzas where both bride and groom flew in from hundreds of miles away—only to savour an authentic Indian wedding. Set against the backdrop of heritage sites like the Mehrangarh Fort and the Umaid Bhawan Palace, these opulent bashes were replete with naach-gaana and all such exotic fanfare that make the ‘great Indian wedding’.
Marriage Tourism, according to experts, is a million-dollar industry which not only brings in foreign exchange but also provides the much-needed impetus to local folk artistes, handicrafts and all things quintessentially Indian. And, as India vies for a share of the lucrative Medical Tourism market, Ayurveda, an ancient Hindu healing method, has also seen resurgence through the techniques like meditation and yoga especially to wealthy tourists.
India hogged the spotlight even at the recently held International Tourism Bourse 2007 in Berlin, the largest tourism fair in the world. As the official partner country, it showcased its vast array of new tourism products—also a part of its Incredible India campaign. So, if Europe has wine gourmet tour guides, India’s flaunting its tea-tasting tourist circuits. Pitted against the luxurious spas of the world are India’s traditional massages and beauty treatments. That apart there are pilgrimages, heritage trips and Eco-tourism along with the sea-sand-and-sun experience that is Goa. Also touted as the next big thing is Convention Tourism—providing just the right mix of work and pleasure to business tourists.
Tourism experts say that the country has a fascinating array of exotic locales, quality resorts and a 5000-year-old rich culture—plenty to lure every traveler. According to the 2006 Conde Nast Readers’ Travel Awards, India is the flavour of the season among overseas holidayers. It features as the fourth most attractive holiday destinations of the world, ahead of traditional hot spots like US, France, Singapore, Thailand and South Africa.
International tourists visiting India can now look forward to better travel links (roads, airports and railways), lower fares and overall improved infrastructure. A surge of hospitality properties—including service apartments in hot-spots like Goa, Kerala and metros like Bangalore and Mumbai—are contributing to this upward trend in tourism.
India’s landscape is changing, what with its growing political and economic stability and increasing opportunities for business and investment. The government’s proactive policies vis-à-vis the vibrant Incredible India campaign, tax concessions to promote infrastructure, budget airlines and FDI flow into tourism are boosting tourism in the country like never before.
Figures have it that Indian tourism is a significant segment of the country’s economy—estimated at a whopping US$ 32 billion, 5.3 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP). India’s domestic tourism is expected to increase by 15–20 per cent p.a. over the next five years.
As more and more tourists flocking India, their number is expected to rise to 5 million in 2007. And, with the country hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games, this share will only increase to about 1.5 per cent in 2010 from a mere 0.52 per cent in 2006. Incredible indeed, India’s tourism industry is poised to grow to about US$ 90 billion—from the current US$ 39 billion—in the coming 10 years.
All efforts to diversify tourist attractions by offering new products such as adventure tourism, wellness tourism, medical tourism and golf tourism will surely spur international as well as on domestic tourism. Poised to be the ‘No. 1 tourism destination’, India is sending out the invitations: Come one, come all!

"...Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can’t get...

I watched on dispassionately at the flopsy razzmatazz of bedecked women, neon lights and showy malls on Gurgaon's busy MG road-when suddenly a scraggy little hand jutted before me. "Just one rupee, madam!" she pleaded. I moved on a few steps but the little one tagged along, this time tugging at my shirt- I recoiled and headed straight towards the mall-this would be a "safe" place I thought.Inside there were colourful banners, smiling faces and glossy manequins. I walked on when suddenly a heart wrenching cry and a loud thud pierced my senses. "What was that?" I asked myself, and noticed a crowd of men jostling for space. Did I know what it was or else why did I not inch forward? I rushed out of the mall, got into a crowded auto and returned home.

I sat with my morning cuppa the next day,and opened the crisp pages of the Hindu. "GIRL MURDERED IN CROWDED GURGAON MALL" it read. The vagaries of existence-all too prominent, and so well defined, they mock my beliefs, ridicule my superstitions and sneer at my notions.

In the evening MG road was once again beaming-the neon, the crowds, the glamour and the buzz, everything was in place. Business as usual one might say!! And the scraggy little one was there before me again. I took out a two rupee coin and gave it to her. "Bhagwaan apka bhala karein"!! she said and walked to the nearest tea stall for a cup of tea.

The Feisty Ones!!

As Shaban Azmi is bestowed with the Gandhi Peace Prize(while at home the Imam lambasts her for her remarks on the musilm dress code for women), and Andhra dame Renuka Choudhury creates ripples with her Domestic Violence Act,there's one frail young figure who carries on her relentless struggle sans gimmicks, frills and thrills, and in the face of utmost opposition. No, its no Indian I am talking about its the prominent political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi was only two years old when her father, Major General Aung San, a seminal figure of Burma’s struggle for independence, was assassinated on July 19, 1947. She attended schools in Burma until 1960, when her mother Daw Khin Kyi, a prominent Burmese diplomat, was appointed ambassador to India. After completing her graduation from Lady Sri Ram College, New Delhi in 1964, she headed to Oxford to earn a B.A in philosophy, politics and economics. It was here that she met her future husband Michael Aris, then a student of Tibetan civilization. In 1969 she went to New York for further studies but soon opted out, to work for the U.N. secretariat as Assistant Secretary, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. In 1972, Suu Kyi married Michael Aris, who was employed in the Translation Department in Bhutan. After a brief stint in Bhutan, Suu Kyi and her husband went back to England, where she gave birth to her sons Alexander and Kim.

Suu Kyi was leading a rather quiet life until 1988, when she returned to Burma to nurse her dying mother. Burma, was at that time witnessing a socio-political upheaval. Military strongman U Ne Win’s isolationist and repressive policies had made it one of the poorest countries in the world. Widespread antigovernment protests, the famous 8-8-88 uprising was balked by a severe military crackdown, killing thousands. Suu Kyi responded with an open letter to the government, asking for formation of a people’s consultative committee on multi party elections. On August 26 1988, she gave her first political address, outside Shwedagon Pagoda, calling for restoration of democracy. Her feverish appeal to the half-million crowd was the genesis of a burgeoning pro democracy movement that would later grow into a political party. However, the military soon established its unbinding power by forming the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)-mounting its brutal attacks on peaceful protestors, banning political gatherings and imprisoning protestors without trial.

On September 24, 1988, the National league of Democracy (NLD) was formed with Suu Kyi becoming its general secretary. A staunch admirer of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, Suu Kyi began her nonviolent struggle for democracy and human rights from the NLD platform. She traveled across the length and breadth of the country, urging for free elections, democratic reforms, and need for change in Burmese society. Despite a ban on her, and continuous harassment, and killings by the military junta she continued her struggle for peaceful resistance and civil disobedience. On July 20 1989, Suu kyi was placed under house arrest. Notwithstanding this grave setback, the NLD won a landslide victory, securing 82% of the seats in the elections of 1990. The military refused to give credence to the election results and instead bargained for her withdrawal from politics and a chance to leave the country. Su Kyi refused outright- and her detention was extended to a period of five years without charge or trial.

During this period Suu Kyi attracted widespread international attention and acclaim- She was invested with the Rafto Human Rights Prize (1990); the Sakharov human rights prize from the European parliament (1990) and the Nobel Peace Prize (1991). Already recognized as ‘a prisoner of conscience’ by Amnesty International (1988), her cause was taken up by fellow Nobel laureates and the UN Commission for Human Rights in 1993. On February 14, 1994 UNDP Resident Representative Jehan Raheem, US Congressman Bill Richardson and New York Times reporter Philip Shenon were allowed to meet Suu Kyi, her first non-family visitors.

Mounting international pressure compelled Gen. Than Shwe and Gen. Khin Nyunt of the SLORC to meet Su Kyi for the first time since her house arrest. She was released on July 10 1995, after six years of detention. After her release, she attended the NLD party congress and in 1998 announced the formation of a representative committee that she declared as the country's lawful ruling parliament. She has been widely videotaped and her statements recorded and sent out to the international community at large, including her keynote address to the NGO Forum at the U.N. International Women's Conference in Beijing in August 1995.

Despite the seemingly proactive developments, Suu Kyi and her party members continued to be harrased, their freedom to move and speak severely restricted. On March 27, 1999, her husband Michael Aris died of prostate cancer in London- his earnest pleas to the Burmese authorites to allow him to meet her for one last time were also rejected. She was once again placed under house arrest from September 2000 to May 2002. In 2003, amidst clashes between the NLD and pro-government demonstrators, her motorcade was attacked and Suu Kyi once again transferred to house arrest. On November 28, 2005, her detention was extended for yet another year despite widespread criticism from the international community, including U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President Bush.

Girish Karnad

Here's something about one of my favourite theater actors...Girish Karnad.

One of India’s foremost modern playwrights, Girish Karnad has artfully juggled many roles. A noted actor, filmmaker and critic, he has also served as Director of the Film and Television Institute, Pune, (Fulbright Playwright-in Residence and Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago (1987-88), Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Academy (1988-93) and Director of the Nehru Centre at the Indian High Commission in London.

Having earned his B.A in mathematics and statistics, at Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnad, joined the Magdalen College, Oxford, as a Rhodes scholar. After his return to India, he joined the Oxford University Press, but resigned, to devote himself to writing and filmmaking.

Yayati, Karnad's first play, (1961) won the Mysore State Award in 1962. But it was his second play, Tughlaq (1966) that won him critical acclaim and established him as a writer of repute. Considered an allegory on the Nehruvian era, the play, records the personal transformation of the medieval ruler Mohammad Bin Tughlaq from a sensitive idealist to a tyrant.

Rooted in Indian mythology, history and traditional puranic themes, Karnad’s plays mirror contemporary socio-political realities and modern man’s existentialist crises. In his 1972 play, Hayavadana, for example, the playwright used the folk art form of yakshagana to examine the divide between mind and body. Two plays, Naga-Mandala and Taledanda, followed soon after, and Karnad was conferred a series of eminent awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award, in 1994. Written in his adopted language, Kannada, Karnad has himself translated his works (except Anjumallige and Hittina hunja) into English. His other prominent plays are Anjumallige (1977), Hittina hunja (1980 ), Agni Mattu Male (‘Fire and the Rain’ commissioned by Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis), Dreams of Tipu Sultan (radio-play commissioned by BBC in 1996) and Bali, the Sacrifice (.commissioned by the Leicester Haymarket Theatre).

Karnad’s very first film Samskara, which he scripted and acted in, won the President’s Gold Medal in the Best Indian Film category in 1970. He has also scripted and directed films like Vamsha Vriksha (Kannada), Kaadu (Kannada), Godhuli (Hindi), Ondanondu Kaaladalli (Kannada), Utsav (Hindi) and Cheluvi (Kannada). A versatile actor he has essayed roles in films like Vamsha Vriksha (1971), Manthan (Hindi; 1976), Cheluvi (1992) and more recently Iqbal (Hindi; 2005). His vast repertoire also includes directing documentary films like ‘The Lamp in the Niche’(1989), ‘D.R Bendre’(1973), television programmes like ‘Who Ghar’(1984) and anchoring the series ‘Turning Point’

Karnard has been decorated with the Padma Shri (1974), the Padma Bhushan (1992) Jnapith Award (1999) and made Doctor of Letters by Karnatak University in 1994.

The dance of the enchantress!

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.