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Dances of India
The tinkling sound of bells, the sweet smell of flowers, the divine being, the beauty unparalleled -The Enchantress. The one, who could take your minds away from the present to another world of beauty and charm. The lotus eyed one dancing gently and gracefully filling the atmosphere with unsurpassed heavenly beauty. The demons true to her instructions shut their eyes to relinquish and behold the beauty they envisioned. She is Mohini the celestial dancer, one who has come to enchant. Until, a few decades ago it was presumed that in India there were only four classical dances. Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Manipuri and Kathakali . But then due to the pioneering works of great gurus (teachers), dancers and scholars the dance forms of Mohini Attam, Kuchipudi and Odissi were discovered in their native settings and brought out into the urban stage, much to the delight and wonderment of the lovers of dance .
But it was finally only in the 20th century that Mohini Attam got its fresh impetus that it actually deserved, and it has come to stay. It was when Mahakavi Vallathol set up the premiere institution for Kathakali , Kerala Kalamandalam in India that he invited three dancers practicing Mohini Attam at that time Kalpuratte Kunjukutty Amma, Tottacheri Chinnamuamma and Kalyani Kutty Amma to come and teach Mohini Attam in his institution. Till, little more than a decade ago the Mohini Attam repertoire ran almost parallel to the Bharata Natyam repertoire. But just as each region has its own individuality and identity it was natural that Mohini Attam had to find its own identity. Due to the relentless work of great researchers, scholars, performers of Mohini Attam, this dance form achieved its present classical standing . Today, we have different schools of Mohini Attam just as you have schools for Bharata Natyam. But they all have one thing in common they all imbibe the beautiful lyrical elements of the social folk dances of the graceful women from Kerala. Every classical dance form from India has its beginnings in the local prevalent folk art forms and has also been very strongly influenced by the social, political, religious and behavioral pattern of the people of the region. The classical dance forms have imbibed these features to give them all a distinct flavor of its own, but they are still all bound by the great traditions set by the ‘Natyashastra’ around the 2nd century B.C.. The ‘Natyashastra’ is a treatise on dance and drama and lays down rules regarding the practice and presentation of drama and dance. Each dance form adopts it to suit the regional changes in the social, religious, political and behavior of the people. But it was around the 3rd century AD that Nandikeshvara wrote the Abhinaya Darpanam which is very religiously followed by the practitioners of Bharata Natyam .It gives the usage of hastas (hand gestures), pada bhedas (feet positions), caris (gaits), gatis (stepping) etc.
Being associated for a very long time and having the opportunity to learn under one of the pioneer’s of Mohini Attam, Padmashri (Dr.) Kanak Rele who is responsible for bringing Mohini Attam into the classical map of India, I would say is a blessing. Also the privilege of working with one of the leading theater personalities, scholar, poet and a great musical composer Shri Kavalam Narayana Panikker whose contribution to Mohini Attam also needs a special mention. Mohini Attam will flourish and go a long way. With due respect to all performers, scholars, and teachers of the art form, we shall have just one aim in mind to carry on this great art form from one century into the next. The responsibility put into us by the great performers of the last and present century to carry on this great tradition and initiate the uninitiated into another world of beauty, grace and charm. |
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There is a
considerable amount of disagreement among scholars regarding the antiquity
of Mohini Attam. Most of them agree that it was during Maharaja Swati
Tirunal‘s rule in the 16th century that Mohini Attam achieved its refined
form. The Maharaja of Travancore was a great patron of arts and he
encouraged artistes, singers, dancers from all over the country to come and
perform in his court. During this time he also invited the Tanjore quartets
from Tamil Nadu who were great Bharata Natyam nattuvanars
( or teachers) who brought with them dancers and thus influenced the already
present local dance form. The Maharaja was a great bhakta or devotee of Lord
Padmanabha and wrote and composed in Hindustani as well as Carnatic
innumerable kritis, padams and varnams in his praise. The Maharaja’s
padams are always a part of a Mohini Attam dancer’s repertoire.
Similarly a
study of Mohini Attam wouldn’t be complete without the study of
Balaramabharatam. The author Maharaja Kartikatirunal Rama Varma was a
descendant of the ancient Chera kings of South India who encouraged arts and
literature in the 18th century. The Maharaja was a great scholar and had an
extraordinary talents not only for literature but also for music, dance and
other allied arts and was also a great poet .His contribution to Kathakali (a dance drama tradition) of Kerala is incomparable. The book gives a
detailed insight into the technical performing aspects for Mohini Attam.
There is a mention of the use of hastas (hand gestures), angas
(major limbs) upangas (minor limbs ) and pratyangas (neck,
wrists, knees, thighs etc). Reading through the text and the practical
details mentioned in the book leaves a student of Mohini Attam with very few
doubts on the technicalities. The Balaramabharatam is an accepted text by
most leading dancers, scholars of India today for Mohini Attam.