Mohiniattam

One of the youngest Indian classical dances, Mohiniyattam dance came into being during the 16th Century A.D. By 19th Century, it was in its full form as it was boosted and encouraged by Swathi Tirunal, Maharaja of Trivandrum, Kerala. The Mohiniattam dance form is a very sensual and graceful dance form that is performed both solo and in a group by women. The term Mohini means a beautiful maiden who enchants spectators and Attam means dance; so Mohini Attam is essentially an enchanting dance by a gorgeous maiden.

There are two famous legends that are associated with the origin of the dance form. It is said that Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of an enchanting Mohini to lure the demons away from the holy nectar of immortality (Amrit) that was churned out by the Gods and the Demons. In another instance He comes as Mohini to save Lord Shiva from the demon Bhasmasura. The name of the dance was essentially created after this legend and the hero or the main protagonist of every dance performance is Lord Vishnu or his avatar Lord Krishna.

The theme that surrounds the dance is love and devotion to God. It is basically a form of dance drama and was performed by maidens in temples in old days. This dance form also has elements of Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu. The dance form has 40 basic movements and is a very gentle dance. The performer uses her eyes to enchant the mind without exciting the senses. The hand gestures used in Mohiniattam are very important as a communicative gesture.

The make up and costume is very realistic and simple. A white sari with golden brocade border is the usual costume. It is teamed with gold jewelry like elaborate earrings, an elegant necklace, a gold waistband, bangles, armlets, etc. The make up emphasizes on the eyes and they are beautifully lined and made to look sensual. The music is classical in nature and is a mix of Sanskrit with Malayalam. The dance is performed according to the rhythm of the song with subtle footwork and powerful hand gestures of the performer.