Snippets of Information
Dance - Mohiniyattam
* 11 Nov 2022
Mohiniyattam was added to the curriculum of Kalamandalam
in 1932. The first student for Mohiniyattam, Panthalathu Thankamma
was literally co erced into Kalamandalam. Thus in 1932, with one
student, one teacher and a Nattuvan - Korattikkara Appuredathu Krishna
Panicker, the department of Mohiniyattam at Kalamandalam came into
existence. In 1935, Thankamma left Kalamandalam after her
marriage. Madhavi amma was sent to shanthinikethan to assist with
the mohiniyattam classes there. In 1937 under the tutelage of
Chomayil Ramankandathu Valappil Madhavi Amma, with three new students,
Mohiniyattam was opened up once again, but had to be closed down, two
years later, as Madhavi amma and the Nattuvan took ill. Finally in 1950,
the department was resurrected once again like the phoenix, under the
guidance of Thottasheri Chinnammuamma. Chinnammu amma's legacy was
passed down to her able students like Kalamandalam Satyabhama. It is at
Kerala kalamandalam that the dance form was resurrected and given a
fresh lease of life in the hands of various gurus like Guru Kalyaniamma,
Guru Kunjukuttyamma and Guru Chinnammu amma. The dance form was further
codified and structured into a form, exclusive to Kalamandalam. What
one sees of Mohinivattam today, as the Kalamandalam style, has attained
its finely chiseled version by the efforts of the second generation
gurus like Guru Kalyanikutty Amma and Guru Satyabhama. Today
Mohiniyattam is the most sought after course at kalamandalam. As a
tribute to all the masters who nourished and nurtured it, 'the dance of
the enchantress' exists, unique, elegant and on its own physical and
spiritual dimension in the world of dance.
Source: kalamandalam.ac.in
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