Dancers wonder what can be done to popularize Kerala’s youngest classical dance forms
Kathakali enjoys immense popularity – there are many festivals dedicated specifically to it, a large number of artists practice it, it has many training institutes and most importantly, new ideas are constantly redefining its presentation. There are more perspectives. Mohiniyattam, on the other hand, the youngest and gentlest of Kerala’s art forms, is still looking to reach a larger contemporary audience.
Although its origin is shrouded in mystery, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, a 20th century major of dance, introduced it to the Devadasi system. One of his early disciples tried to establish a link between Mohiniyattam and Kudiyattam’s female counterpart Nangiarkuthu. Some others in the region have held that Swathi Tirunal, along with the Thanjavur Quartet, was instrumental in maintaining this dance tradition. But none of these claims is supported by documentary evidence.
When poet laureate Vallathol Narayana Menon, overcoming all odds, decided to revive Mohiniyattam in Kerala Kalamandalam, he was least concerned about its unspoiled history. He was always attracted to its feminine grace and tenderness and was therefore eager to find a guru who aspired to pass on its biological qualities to the younger generation. Fortunately, the poet found dancers Oriyakkaledath Kalyani Amma and Nattuvan Koratikkar Appuredatha Krishna Panikkar, who brought to life the Mohiniyattam kalari in Kalamandalam.
As for the question of what prevents Mohiniyattam from achieving glory and fame, Deepti Omchery, Carnatic singer, academic and a renowned Mohiniyattam dancer, says that “the old gurus saw little or no scope for innovation within the traditional framework.” Worked together and experimented. Although many talented dancers of the time have tried to recreate the repertoire, its inherently slow tempo and limited movements have not helped them much.”
But perhaps what makes the dance form worse is the differences among Mohiniyattam dancers over the word ‘new’. Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma was particularly against changing the traditional hairstyle. But some stalwarts like Thottassery Chinnammu Amma’s disciple Kalamandalam Sathyabama went ahead and changed the traditional hairstyle and it soon became the norm. Kalamandalam Sugandhi, who first appeared on stage in this new hairstyle in the 1960s, lists several reasons for the relative marginalization of the dance form. “Firstly, even after its revival in the last century, we felt the absence of eminent artists such as Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Odissi or Vempati Chinna Satyam in Kuchipudi. Secondly, practitioners of Mohiniyattam are much more individualistic in their approach, resulting in the last few Dozens of genres have emerged over the years. When the artist is in the limelight, the art form comes into the background. We haven’t worked much even on getting opportunities to perform at major national and international festivals. And the state government has done little to support the dance form and its practitioners.”
Apart from criticism, the brilliant efforts of two exponents from Kerala, Dr. Kanaka Rayleigh and Bharathi Shivaji, have contributed greatly to the academic and aesthetic advancement of Mohiniyattam over the last century. Dr. Sunanda Nair, an accomplished dancer and disciple of Dr. Rayleigh, says that Mohiniyattam needed to “focus from the physical excellence of Margam to create a repertoire that testifies to the tenets of classicism.” The dancers, she says, work hard for the flawless execution of edvas, to fine-tune the body’s dynamism, and to ensure restraint and grace. “I’ve been striving to achieve this for decades. The wisdom or endurance of immersing myself in materials and crafts is giving way to exhibitionism. Such a trend won’t help.”
Not all dancers feel that there is a lack of recognition and support. For example, Gopika Varma, a senior disciple of the late Kalyanikutty Amma, feels optimistic about Mohiniyattam’s future. “It has retained its individuality through a distinct style and dress. I see talented artists performing at festivals around the world. The lack of a masculine element could have hindered its popularity and the choreographing of dance plays. ”
Both Kudiyattam and Kathakali have had a heavy presence on the global cultural map for almost half a century. While most other states have just one classical dance form, Kerala has much more. When festival authorities or cultural organizations in India and abroad try to strike a balance during selection, the older art forms of Kathakali and Kudiyattam always get preference.
Even at the pedagogy level, as Deepti Omcheri points out, CBSE has removed Mohiniyattam from the curriculum as there has been no one to take it over the years. This seems a bit of a contradiction, as dance is taught and performed in other institutions including Kerala Kalamandalam, which offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs at Mohiniyattam, and there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of students. , Deepti says that such a decision will break the morale of the young artistes.
Meanwhile, dancers are experimenting with themes, costumes and styles in hopes of attracting new audiences. The future is in their hands.
The author has critics and connoisseurs
Traditional Artifacts of Kerala.
,