Dancer Vijayalakshmi will give a Mohiniyattam recital at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC). The evening will feature a repertoire of traditional Mohiniyattam and innovative works, choreographed by the dancer.
“The event will showcase the spirit and technique of the dance form, besides highlighting its relevance to contemporary times,” says the US-based dancer.
The evening will feature Ashtapadi, with an excerpt from Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam, Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Rain and Beyond Grace, choreographed in Mohiniyattam.
Vijayalakshmi, daughter of the legendary Mohiniyattam dancer, Bharati Shivaji, is also known as a choreographer, actor, writer and singer. She describes herself as a dancer who is constantly exploring uncharted territory and expanding traditional boundaries.
The dancer, who is the founder-director of The Mohiniyattam Institute, Los Angeles, and the artistic-director of the Centre for Mohiniyattam, New Delhi, says, she was inspired to take up Mohiniyattam watching her mother. “I saw her begin the process of reviving and restructuring the dance form and giving it a new lease of life.”
That was the beginning Vijayalakshmi says. “I was 10 years old and had been training in Bharatanatyam for five years by then. I started my Mohiniyattam journey when I was 11 with my mother who became my teacher and mentor. It was a unique, parallel journey I had with my guru. My mother was also a Bharatantayam dancer and we transitioned to Mohiniyattam together.”
Being compared to her mother on stage was inevitable, Vijayalakshmi says. “When I was younger, in my 20s, there was a lot of pressure. By the time I was 30, and created my own choreographies, there came a moment when I became fearless in expressing who I was as a dancer and as a woman. My works became unique and were different from what any other Mohiniyattam dancer had ever done.”
The dance form also became different from that of her mother’s, Vijayalakshmi says. “She is responsible for helping me acquire a sound foundation in the spirit and technique of the dance form. That helped me take off on a quantum leap of interpretation from my perspective.”
While today she is no longer compared to her famous mother, Vijayalakshmi says, “I have inherited my mother’s legacy and built my dance on it.”
The core spirit of Mohiniyattam is femininity, Vijayalakshmi says. “The dance form is rooted in the sacred feminine, making it relevant in today’s world. That is the beauty and power of this classical dance form from Kerala.”
Though rooted in ancient times, Vijayalakshmi says, Mohiniyattam is relevant to women around the world. “It epitomises all the core values and principles of femininity. This is a powerful aspect of the dance form. It is also a major reason for people to learn, watch, be inspired and impacted by this form. It is healing, therapeutic and empowering. I do not think one could ask for any more from a dance form.”
Vijayalakshmi will be presenting ashtapadis from the Gita Govindam, which has been associated with Odissi and is also known for its sensuality. “True, it has been prominent in the Odissi repertoire, and the poet Jayadeva was from Odisha, but, the Gita Govindam travelled to Kerala in the 14th century through the Bhakti movement and to one of the most prominent temples of Kerala — Guruvayurappa, where the ashtapadis were sung in a regional style called Sopana Sangeetham.”
Her mother was one of the first Mohiniyattam dancers to notice this and incorporated the ashtapadis in her dance repertoire, Vijayalakshmi says. “At the time it was considered an innovation, but today it has become an integral part of the classical Mohiniyattam repertoire.”
The dance, like the Odissi version, retains its eroticism and sensuality, Vijayalakshmi says. “While Jayadeva writes about Radha and Krishna’s love in erotic terms, it also became a powerful aspect of Bhakti and aesthetic traditions in general.”
Gita Govindam in Mohiniyattam is portrayed with an openness to the erotic aspect of Radha and Krishna’s love, says Vijayalakshmi. “It is done in an aesthetic manner, which is why Gita Govindam works well in Mohiniyattam.”
A recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy, Vijayalakshmi, who has performed across the globe including the Bolshoi Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival and the Lincoln Centre, also will present Ramcharitmanas in Mohiniyattam.
“I am a South Indian born and raised in Delhi. I grew up listening to its recitation and it had a deep impact on me. As my grandmother and mother are classical singers, music played a significant role in my life as a dancer. All these facts inspired the creation of Ramcharitmanas.”
Rain is an excerpt from the dancer’s eponymous Indo-American production. “It is inspired by British-Indian poet Sudeep Sen’s critically-acclaimed book of poetry, also titled Rain. The production is scripted by Los Angeles-based artiste and filmmaker Sara Baur, while music is arranged by Emmy-Award winning composer, Mac Quayle.” Vijayalakshmi has sung the Rabindra Sangeet for this production.
Beyond Grace, Vijayalakshmi says, holds a special place in her artistic journey. In this excerpt, Vijayalakshmi has incorporated elements from Kalaripayattu and Kaikottikali (also a traditional Kerala dance form).
Mohiniyattam is inherent in her, Vijayalakshmi says. “I do not have to remind myself about being a Mohinyattam dancer, nor can I deviate from the form even if I want to. Hence, whatever I do is within the boundaries of the form itself.”
Vijayalakshmi’s performance is on November 6, 7pm at BIC. It will be followed by a Q&A, moderated by Masoom Parmar, artiste, arts manager and curator . Entry is free.
Published – November 06, 2024 11:15 am IST
