UNIT 3 MOHINIATTAM

Structure:

3,1 Introduction

3.2 Objectives

3.3 Brief History ofMohiniattam

3.4 Beauty or impact of Mohiniattam

3.4.1 The story of churning of the milky ocean - ksheerasaagara
3.4.2 Cultural values of Mohiniattam

3.5 Technique ofMohiniattam

3.5.1 Nritta
3.5.2 Nritya or abhinaya
3.5.3 The text Balaramabharatam

3.6 Music in Mohiniattam

3.6.1 Standard based on Karnatak music
3.6.2 Recent Developments based on Sopaa~a.music

3.7 Repertoire

3.8 Some Wellknown Exponents and Performers

3.9 Self Assessment Questions

3.1 INTRODUCTION
, As a student of any classical dance style ofIndia you should be aware of the beauties
and characteristics of all the recognised dance styles. We would say that a student of
any art should develop this awareness.

As we have observed, an art which forms an integral and important part of any culture
or oivilization, reflects the environmental conditions and social ethos of the group of
people who practice it. This is so even more effectively in dances. The dancers of a
particular group of people are always influenced by the nature that surrounds the
geographical area and the spiritual (as apposed to religious) beliefs of the people.

Mohini Attam is the graceful dance from the Southern state of Kerala.In a way Kerala
is i~olated from the rest of the country. On its western side is the Arabian sea along its
entire coast. To the east it is bound by the Nilgiri mountain ranges. In the north also it
has a mountainous country and to its south it has the Indian ocean.

It has great natural beauty and whenever one looks up at the sky one finds millions of
palm fronds swaying gracefully in the breeze blowing from the sea. There are enchanting
baokwaters where graceful boats ply carrying people and goods. The land is evergreen.

Kerala is the home of another majestic art, Kathakali, which is traditionally danced by
men. Mohini Attam is exclusively danced by women. It is also softer than the very
vigorous Kathakali. If Kathakali fills you with awe and just a little bit of fear, Mohini
Attam fills you with an inner joy at beholding something exquisitely beautiful and
en9hanting.

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Understanding Indian
Classical Dances

Mohiniattam

3.2 OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit you should be able to :

• Identify a Mohini Attam dancer by her costume and graceful movements;

• Appreciate the natural beauty of Kerala which is the reason it is called "Gods
Own Country"; and

• Understand the uniqueness of Mohini Attam.

3.3 BRIEF HISTORY OF MOHINIATTAM

Some scholars trace Mohini Attam to the second or third century A.D. (to the era of the
great Tarnil epic. Shilappadikaram), whereas others maintain that it was created in the
middle of the eighteenth century in the court of Maharaja Svati Tirunal of Travancore at
his behest. Neither premise is correct.

All the dance forms of India are the end products of a long process of evolution, change
and improvement in keeping with the constantly changing social structure. Since dance
and music were two very highly developed arts in the Silappadikaram era, we may
surmise that Mohini Attam has its roots in the dance form which was practiced in Kerala
during that period. Literary evidence shows that it was very much in vogue in the beginning
of the seventeenth century A.D. and thus must have had its origins before that. It is
between 400 to 600 years old.

At the same time it is more or less certain that Mohini Attam acquired its affinity with the
Bharata N atyam technique and Karnatak Music and thereby its repertoire, in Swati
Tirunal's court. It may be presumed that, with his highly developed aesthetic taste,
Swati Tirunal realized the potential of this exquisite art and accorded it patronage with
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the best of intentions. In the beginning of the 20th Century, like all the other traditional Mohiniattam
arts, Mohini Attam also went into oblivion due to the policies ofthe British. By the
1960s only 4 to 5 items from its once rich repertoire were remembered and that too in
a very haphazard manner. Just like Kathakali Poet Vallathol started reviving it at
Kalamandalam; but unfortunately he died.

3.4 BEAUTYORIMPACTOFMOHINIATTAM
Mohini Attam, a lyrical and enchanting dance form, became the sole vehicle for feminine
interpretation, developed on the lines of the other classical dance styles of India. It is a
solo dance of sheer visual beauty, far removed from the ever- vigilant supervision of the
temple and the girp of rituals. Devotional fervour is permissible in this dance, but not
mandatory. Religio-philosophical ideas are not allowed to interfere with the central idea
of dance-enchantment. The very name expresses its essential soul (Maha Vishnu
appeared as Mohini the enchantress, and danced the dance of enchantment to cast a
spell of his maayaa on the daanava-s). The natural beauty ofthe Kerala landscape
provides ample inspiration for its lyrical and lilting movements. Its rounded body
movements, the distincti ve heave of the torso and the soft walk create the sensation of
the green paddy fields, the undulating palm fronds and the rippling backwaters of Kerala.

3.4.1 The story of churning of the milky ocean - ksheerasaagara

Once the devas and their enemies the daanavas agreed to chum the milky ocean
(ksheerasaagara). Their aim was to extract amruta (elixir) from the depths of the
ocean. Whosoever drank this amruta would become immortal. They used the mount
Meru as the churning rod and the sperpent Vaasuki as the rope. When the amruta
came out, the evil daanavas snatched the jar and refused to share it with the devas.
The devas prayed to Lord Vishnu to save the universe since if the daanavas became
immortal there would be only evil everywhere with no hope for goodness which has to
s
be present to balance the cosmic order. Honouring the deva prayers, Vishnu appeared
in his avataara (incarnation) of Mohini, (the enchantress) a bewitchingly beautiful
woman. She danced her dance of enchantment. She so enchanted the daanavas that
they handed over the jar containing amruta to her. Mohini then surreptiously distributed
amruta amongst the devas while the daanavas received none.

3.4.2 Cultural values of Mohini Attam c

Mohini Attam is, thus, the dance that reflects sheer joy any pleasure of good living. It a
glimpse of the enchanting quality of the life of goodness. It casts a spell of beauty in the
mind of the spectator and gently leads him towards the knowledge of Truth.

At the worldly level the overall impression created by Mohini Attam is shringaara
which is aimed at creating Enchantment of the highest order without there being any hint
of vulgarity. It shines out as an epitome of extreme grace, good taste, dignity and above
all high cultural values.

3.5 TECHNIQUEOFMOIllNIATTAM
Like all the classical dances being practiced today, MohiniAttam also follows the broad
based rules laid down in the Natyashastra. It has the same classification of dance.
Since it is a solo dance presentation it does not have an overwhelming theatrical element.

The most characteristic element of the "form" component ofMohini Attam is the circular
or spiral movement of all the limbs of the body. This gives it a swaying effect which
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Understanding Indian resembles the movement of a pendulum and thus it is called aandolika. There are no
Classical Dances
movements that are angular and as such there is no heavy stamping of the feet. It has a
judicious blend of both nritta and nritya.

3.5.1 Nritta
The basic stance in Mohini Attam is similar to that of Kathakali and other Kerala arts.
But here the similarity ends.

Mohini Attam has a greater variety of basic dance or fundamental dance units which ate
called adavus. Each adavu is composed of a starting basic posture which is followed
by a combination of steps accompanied by appropriate movement of the arms and
other parts of the body. These adavus are categorised by two systems:

1) According to the rhythmic syllables called shollus or vaitaaris that accompany

them.

2) According to the emphasis or prominence given to the limbs or the body as per 5
levels - from head to shoulders, from shoulders, down to waist, from waist to the
groin, from groin to the thighs and kness and from knees to the feet.

Each category has a number of adavus under it with permutations and combinations of
similar movements.

These adavus are strung together to create a phrase which is called ajati.

At the end of such ajati, to round it off, are a special set of adavus called teermaana
adavus which are to be performed thrice.

3.5.2 Nritya or abhinaya

Like all "classical dance forms, nritya in Mohini Attam also deals with bhaavas and
rasas prescribed in the Natyashastra. Over and above there is an emphasis placed on
the bhakti rasa as well. The projection of the bhaavas is subdued and restrained.

In keeping with the superb Kerala tradition it is the mukhaja abhinaya (facial expression)
which distinguishes a MohiniAttam dancer. A great deal of emphasis is given to nayana
abhinaya, (projection of moods by way of gaze of the eyes) a tradition that harks back
to millennia. In fact this method of communication has been raised to an amazing level in
Kerala arts which is unparallelled.

The most attractive features of a Mohini Attam dancer's face are the bright gaze and
constantly fluttering eyebrows added to a gentle smile - all creating a devastatingly
enchanting atmosphere.

3.5.3 The text Balaramabharatam

Almost all the major art forms of Kerala have some text or the other that is followed.
Similarly BharataNatyamfollows Nandikeshwara'sAbhinayadarpana and Odissi the
Abhinayachandrika. Mohini Attam relies on two texts; one is course of N atyashastra
and the other is Balaramabharatam by Maharaja Kartika Tirunal Balaramavarma of
Travancore (l724-1798A.D.). The Balaramabharatam did not apply to any of the
established arts of Kerala. A detailed study of the text yielded amazingly large number
of aspects of not only the angika abhinaya but also the saattvika abhinaya which
can be found in the present day practice of Mohini Attam. The Maharaja himself has
averred that though he accepts the authority ofBharata, yet he is mainly concerned with
the various forms of abhinaya, both internal and external, that were in vogue in the
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dance of Kerala alone.
 Mohiniattam
3.6 MUSICINMOIDNIATTAM
Like any dance anywhere, music plays a very important and irrevocable role in Mohini
Attam. In Indian dance it is unthinkable to forego music, this music is both vocal and
instrumental. Like the other classical dances MohiniAttam also utilises specific raagas,
taalas and saahitya.

3.6.1 Standard based on Karanatak music

For about 200 years Mohini Attam has been danced to the Carnatic system of music.
It uses the raagas prescribed in that system as well as scheme of seven basic taalas
and five jaatis, which, by multiplication, give rise to the total of 35 taalas.

Due to this influence, it uses the different categories of musical numbers like jatisvaram;
vamam, padam, tillaanaa, jaavali etc. It is conjectured that this trend was set when
Maharaja Svati Tirunal of Travancore took a deep interest in popularization of Mohini
Attam. But the invocatory item is called chollukettu.

3.6.2 Recent developments based on Sopaana music

In the past two decades Mohini Attam has been cast into a new repertoire rooted in the
rich Kerala theatrical tradition. Also an extensive use ofSopaana Sangitam is being
made for the accompanying music. Sopaana Sangitam is a style of singing which is
indigenous to Kerala; it has some exclusive raagas not to be found in other systems,
but by and large the Karnatak raagas are adapted to the Sopaana mode of singing. It
also has a vast variety of taalas which are exclusive to it and which are used in the new
repertoire.

3.7 REPERTOIRE
The new items are categorised like ganapati (invocation), ashtapadis from the Geeta
Govinda of J ayadeva, padams (nritya), panchaarikaattalaa (nritta), mukhachaalam
(nritta), shlokam (nrityai.jeeva (nritta), tattvam (like vamam).

3.8 SOME WELL KNOWN EXPONENTS AND

PERFORMERS
Late Smt. Kalyanikutti amma, Dr. Kanak Rele, Smt. Bharati Shivaji, Smt. Kshemavathy,
Smt. Sathyabhama, Smt. Sugandhi, Smt. Leelamma, Smt. Vimala Menon, Dr. Dipti
Omcherry - Bhalla, Smt. Gopika Varma.

3.9 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Fill in the blank spaces in the following statements using the words given below.

(Hastalakshanadeepikaa, lyrical, Balaramabharatam, women, Maharaja Karttika

Tirunal Balaramavarma, extreme grace, nritya, dignity, high cultural values).

a) Mohini Attam is the dance of Kerala danced exclusively by

b) _______ appeared in his of Mohini to rescue the

devas.
c) The text written by of Travancore is useful for
MohiniAttam.
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, Understanding Indian d) The text is used in the ofMohiniAttam for interpreting
Classical Dances
padams.
e) Mohini Attam shines out due to _ _____ and

2. State in three or four lines the uniqueness of Mohini Attam.

3. Describe the repertoire of Mohini Attam.
Answers
1. a) lyrical,women
b) Mahaa Vishnu, Avataara.
c) Baalaraamabharatam, Karttika Tirunal Balaramavarma
d) Hastalakshanadeepikaa, nritya.
e) extreme grace, dignity, high cultural values.
2. Mohini Attam is the graceful dance of Kerala danced exclusively by women. It is
distinguished by the rounded and aandolika movements of the body. Its basic
raasa is shringaara. It creates an enchanting atmosphere by its beautiful
nayanaabhinaya and fluttering eyebrows. It is inspired by the natural beauty of
Kerala.
3. The standard Mohini Attam repertoire, almost parallel to that of Bharata Natyam
has chollukettu, jatisvaram, varnam, padam, shlokam and tillaanaa. The recent
one set to Sopaana Sangitam mode has ganapati, mukhachaalam, ashtapadi,jeeva,
padam and shlokam.

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