Mohiniyattam

*Mohiniyattam*
Native name	മോഹിനിയാട്ടം
Genre	Indian classical dance
Origin	Kerala

Mohiniyattam (Malayalam: മോഹിനിയാട്ടം) is an Indian classical dance form originating from the state of Kerala.^[1]^[2] The dance gets its name from Mohini – the female enchantress avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, who helps the devas prevail over the asuras using her feminine charm.^[1]^[3]

Mohiniyattam's roots, like all classical Indian dances, are in the Natya Shastra – the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text on performance arts.^[4]^[5] However, it follows the Lasya style described in Natya Shastra, that is a dance which is delicate, eros-filled and feminine.^[2]^[6] It is traditionally a solo dance performed by women after extensive training, though men also perform the dance in the contemporary period.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] The repertoire of Mohiniyattam includes music in the Carnatic style, singing and acting a play through the dance, where the recitation may be either by a separate vocalist or the dancer themselves. The song is typically in Malayalam-Sanskrit hybrid called Manipravalam.^[2]

The earliest mention of the word is found in the 16th-century legal text Vyavahāramālā, but the likely roots of the dance are older.^[11] The dance was systematized in the 18th century, was ridiculed as a Devadasi prostitution system during the colonial British Raj, banned by a series of laws from 1931 through 1938, a ban that was protested and partially repealed in 1940.^[12] The socio-political conflict ultimately led to renewed interest, revival and reconstruction of Mohiniyattam by the people of Kerala, particularly the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.^[2]

Principles Of Mohiniyattam

Lasya: Lasya is the feminine aspect of dance. It is characterized by its soft, graceful movements. Mohiniyattam is a lasya-dominant dance form. This means that it emphasizes feminine grace and beauty.

Trisama: Trisama is the coordination of the three elements of dance: nritta (pure dance), nritya (expressive dance), and natya (drama). Mohiniyattam dancers must be able to coordinate all three elements of dance. This is to create a harmonious and expressive performance.

Abhinaya: Abhinaya is the art of facial expression and hand gestures in Indian classical dance. Mohiniyattam dancers use abhinaya to convey the emotions and meaning of the dance.

Mudra: Mudras are hand gestures that are used to convey specific meanings in Indian classical dance. Mohiniyattam dancers use a variety of mudras to tell stories and express emotions.

Tala and Laya: Tala (rhythm) and laya (tempo) are essential elements of Indian classical dance. Mohiniyattam dancers must have a strong sense of rhythm. They should be able to maintain the tempo of the dance throughout the performance.

^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Lochtefeld2002p433 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Cite error: The named reference mohiniybrit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Reginald Massey 2004, pp. 131–133.
^ Cite error: The named reference lochtefeld467 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ James B. Robinson (2009). Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. pp. 103–105. ISBN 978-1-4381-0641-0.
^ Cite error: The named reference shivaji6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Viswanathan, Manoj (7 October 2020). "Renowned classical dancer attempts suicide, alleges caste, gender discrimination". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ "Muslim man becomes first male dancer to get PhD in Mohiniyattam". 13 January 2015.
^ Anand, Shilpa Nair (3 March 2020). "RLV Ramakrishnan's love for Mohiniyattam". The Hindu.
^ "What stops men from performing mohiniyattam? - Times of India". The Times of India. 7 October 2020.
^ Cite error: The named reference shivaji44 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Justine Lemos (2016). Maratt Mythili Anoop and Varun Gulati (ed.). Scripting Dance in Contemporary India. Lexington. pp. 35–43. ISBN 978-1-4985-0552-9.

[Lochtefeld2002p433-1] Cite error: The named reference Lochtefeld2002p433 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[mohiniybrit-2] Cite error: The named reference mohiniybrit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTEReginald_Massey2004131–133-3] Reginald Massey 2004, pp. 131–133.

[lochtefeld467-4] Cite error: The named reference lochtefeld467 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] James B. Robinson (2009). Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. pp. 103–105. ISBN 978-1-4381-0641-0.

[shivaji6-6] Cite error: The named reference shivaji6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[7] Viswanathan, Manoj (7 October 2020). "Renowned classical dancer attempts suicide, alleges caste, gender discrimination". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[8] "Muslim man becomes first male dancer to get PhD in Mohiniyattam". 13 January 2015.

[9] Anand, Shilpa Nair (3 March 2020). "RLV Ramakrishnan's love for Mohiniyattam". The Hindu.

[10] "What stops men from performing mohiniyattam? - Times of India". The Times of India. 7 October 2020.

[shivaji44-11] Cite error: The named reference shivaji44 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[AnoopGulati2016p35-12] Justine Lemos (2016). Maratt Mythili Anoop and Varun Gulati (ed.). Scripting Dance in Contemporary India. Lexington. pp. 35–43. ISBN 978-1-4985-0552-9.

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