DANCE OF THE ENCHANTRESS

Mohiniattam

 Introduction: Mohiniattam is the elegant, lyrical classical dance of Kerala, prevailing for centuries and is normally performed by women. The dance movements symbolise the exquisite swaying of the palm trees of Kerala. It is the dance of the enchantress and not the dance of the seductress as misunderstood by many. It is based on the lasya concept of dancing, a feminine, graceful style of dancing, initiated by goddess Parvati.

Stories of Mohiniattam’s origin: According to Hindu mythology and varied sacred texts, there are various references to the word Mohini and the evolution of Mohiniattam. During Amruta Manthan (churning of the ocean in search of the nectar of immortality), in a tussle between the devas (gods) and asuras (demons), the demons were about to snatch the pot of nectar, but Lord Vishnu appeared as a beautiful damsel, Mohini, and took away the pot of nectar. Hence, Mohini is referred to as the beautiful woman of enchantment. 

The word Mohini is derived from the words mohit and moham. 

Another popular story is that of the demon Bhasmasura, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Due to his penance, the Lord granted him the boons that he wanted. Bhasmasura asked for the boon that on whosoever’s head he kept his hand, that person would perish. The boon was granted and the excited demon wanted to try it on Lord Shiva himself. Shiva ran for his life and met Lord Vishnu who told him not to worry. Lord Vishnu appeared to the demon as the beautiful and enchanting Mohini. The demon was completely enchanted by her beauty and proposed marriage. Vishnu agreed on the condition that Bhasmasura dance with her. The demon started to dance with Mohini in great excitement and in the process placed his hand on his own head and perished!

Mohiniattam’s evolution from devadasis: In the temple rituals which prevailed in the 19th century, young teenaged girls were married to the Lord and were known as devadasis or servants of the Lord. They learnt classical music and dance, and performed regularly on social and religious occasions. Four such classical dance styles developed in the devadasi tradition — Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Odissi and Manipuri. Bharatanatyam was known as dasi attam or sadir, Mohiniattam as thevadichi attam, Odissi as maharis and Manipuri dancers were known as meibis. Originally, the devadasis were confined to the temples, but slowly they moved on to dancing to the tune of rich zamindars, chieftains and ultimately at the royal courts of kings. But the dancers did not receive royal patronage or protection to keep their sanctity and classical quality. So these dances began to deteriorate and degrade until social reformers like Mahakavi Vallathol and great poets like Rabindranath Tagore intervened to give these dances a new respectability. 

Kerala Kalamandalam: The great poet in Kerala, Mahakavi Vallathol, established Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930 at Cheruthuruthy in central Kerala, to convince people that classical dances are essentially sacred, hence youngsters could learn these dance forms. Kathakali and Mohiniattam were taught in this school of dance in the beginning. The first teacher of Mohiniattam was Kalamandalam Kalyani Kutty Amma, wife of legendary Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair.This premier centre for performing arts in India has produced several dance professionals and teachers. Kalamandalam Satyabhama, Sugandhi, Nirmala Panikkar and Kalamandalam Kshemavathy are the most senior exponents. Some dancers with religious themes are Gopika Varma of the royal family of Travancore, Shyamala Surendran, Jayaprabha Menon, Ayswaria Warrier, Geeta and Radhika Radhakrishna, Neena Prasad, Pallavi Krishnan, Rachita Ravi and Mythili Anoop.

Dr Kanak Rele’s contributions: Dr Kanak Rele, a non-Malayalee, is the only Mohiniattam dancer to receive the prestigious Padma Bhushan award. After receiving a grant from Ford Foundation, Dr Kanak made a documentary on the three pioneer Mohiniattam exponents, Kalyani Kutty Amma, Chinnamuamma and Kunju Kutty Amma and then evolved her own style with musical support in the traditional Sopanam Sangeetam style composed by Kavalam Narayan Panikkar. Dr Kanak introduced several new choreography styles projecting women empowerment with items like Amba, Draupadi, Kubja and Kalyani based on Tagore’s Chandalika and has given several performances all over the globe. She has written books on Mohiniattam like Bhava Nirupana:Dance Vocabulary etc.

A dance educationist, Dr Kanak established Nalanda Dance Research Centre, known as Nalanda Nritya Kalamahavidyalya, with degrees up to the doctorate level. It has trained several dancers, many of them professionals and teachers like Madhuri Deshmukh, Dimple Nair (Doha, Qatar), Sunanda Nair (USA) and young, brilliant dancers, Saji Nair and Megha Ahire Mohad. 

Technique and music: While Mohiniattam is considered as an offshoot of Bharatanatyam and  Kathakali, the movements are slow, graceful and lyrical, creating a fine visual appeal. While Kalamandalam follows its own bani (style), Dr Kanak’s style has also become immensely popular. Dr Geeta Radhakrishna has written and illustrated an exclusive book Mohiniattam: Adavus and Mudras which is based on Hasta Lakshana Deepika, Natya Sastra, Abhinaya Darpana, Sangeeta Ratnakara and Bharatarnava. 150 adavus (dance units) and 24 mudras (hand gestures) are portrayed. She has also written Mohiniattam: Dance of the Enchantress and other books.

Costumes: The costumes include plain white or off-white such as ivory or cream coloured sari embroidered with bright golden or gold-laced coloured brocade. The dancer wears a fitted choli (blouse) matching the sari, below which at the waist is a golden belt which tucks in the end of the sari, and highlights the waist. In front of the sari, below the belt is a pleated sheet with concentric bands in gold or saffron colours. The dancer wears simple jewellery and no masks, in contrast to Kathakali, the other major classical dance of Kerala.

Music and instruments: The music of Mohiniattam involves various rhythms. There are numerous compositions for a Mohiniattam repertoire, most of whose lyrics are in Manipravalam, a mixture of Sanskrit, Tamil and Malayalam. The musical instruments usually used are Mridangam or Madhalam, Idakka, flute, Veena and Kuzhitalam. The ragas (melody) are rendered in the sopana (steps) style.

A TIME-TESTED LANGUAGE

 Korlai Creole

     INDIA’S myriad languages provide a window into its rich history and culture. One such fascinating language is Korlai Creole ( a hybrid language that becomes the main language in a particular place) spoken by the residents of Korlai, a tiny village on Maharashtra’s west coast. It is a mixture of Portuguese and Marathi. Korlai was colonised by the Portuguese from 1520 to 1740 A.D. And though there has been no contact between the residents of Korlai and the Portuguese after 1740, Korlai Creole continues to function as the primary language of the village. When the people of Korlai came into contact with the Portuguese, most converted to Christianity and adopted their language. Even the local church service was performed in Portuguese. Popularly called Kristy or Nau lin, Korlai Creole gradually began evolving as a separate language from the 16th century. Korlai Christians kept themselves separate from the Hindus and Muslims living in that area, marrying within their own community and religion. 

     Moreover, the village is located on an island and was connected to the mainland only in 1986 when a bridge was built. Besides, Korlai was a self-sustaining village. As a result, Korlai residents were in limited contact with Marathi speakers, leading to the growth and preservation of the unique language. With time, Marathi and even English words crept into Korlai Creole. Marathi became the medium of instruction in schools in 1926, and later, the church at Korlai too began conducting religious ceremonies in it. So, while the younger generation continues to speak in Korlai Creole at home and in their village, they communicate in Marathi in school and outside their community. Interestingly, the village elders still sing hymns and folk songs in the creole language. Although efforts are being made to preserve this vestige of the Portuguese era, the dialect is in real danger of fading away. The only surviving document of Korlai Creole is a book titled Naw Ling Su Istaur (The Story of My Language) by American professor Clancy Clements. A compilation of Korlai’s oral history, comprises 37 folktales which have been transferred from generation to generation.

GET INVOLVED IN CREATIVE ENDEAVOURS

 Do not waste days of your vacation

An elderly carpenter was renowned for working with precision and perfection. When he was asked why he spent so much time on each project, he replied, "I learned long ago that speed should always be secondary to quality workmanship. Years from now, after I'm gone and people inspect what I have made, no one will ask, " How long did this project take? Instead they'll ask who made this?" 

Many of you might now be enjoying your annual summer holidays engaging in different activities. Merit is not in doing so many things, but in doing things of quality. Take care to do whatever you do accurately and diligently. Don't be slipshod in anything you do. Shoddy works won't get anyone's appreciation. Nor will they give you satisfaction. Real happiness is in accomplishing things as faultlessly as possible. A perfectly made thing is more valuable than numerous imperfect things.

The vacation period is an occasion to bring out your dormant talents and sharpen your skills. It is a time to attach yourself with household chores. Join your mother in preparing a dish. Help your father wash his vehicle and clean the compound. Involve in creative endeavours. Never be idle.

As Abraham Lincoln has said, "It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

WORDS WORTH READING

Quotes & Proverbs

Quotes:

* Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but get ahead of ourselves --- to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.

~ Stewart B. Johnson

* It isn't your position that makes you happy or unhappy, its your disposition.

~ O. S. Marden

* It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. 

~ Seneca

* In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the steam always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.

~ H. Jackson Brown

* It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.

~ Benjamin Franklin

* The best thing about future is that it comes only one day at a time.

~ Abraham Lincoln

* Don't go through life, grow through life.

~ Eric Butterworth

* Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, there is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.

~ Johann Gottfried Von Herder

 Proverbs

* The hand will not reach out for what the heart does not long for.

* If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.

* You can hardly make a friend in a year, but you can easily offend one in an hour.

* He who looks for a friend without a fault will never find one.

* Love can turn the cottage into a golden palace.

* He who is contented is not always rich.

* Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

* A bad workman always blames his tools.

* We never miss the water till the well runs dry.

* He who keeps company with wolves, will learn to howl.

MYTHOLOGICAL STORY TO UNDERSTAND MEANING OF "MAYA"

 Maya

  

   Maya commonly means myth, illusion, falsity, unreal, non-existent and unknown, but these meanings do not give a comprehensive understanding of the word. The following story gives us proper insight into this.

      Once Narada, a favourite devotee of Lord Vishnu, was taking a walk with Sri Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. Out of curiosity, Narada asked Krishna, “People talk about maya; what exactly is maya? Please tell me.” When Krishna suggested that he should ask for something else other than this difficult subject, Narada insisted on knowing about it. Krishna smiled and invited Narada for a walk in the woods. They walked for a long time and reached a dry plateau. Both were tired and thirsty; Krishna settled against a tree and said to Narada, “I feel very thirsty. I see in the horizon some signs of villages. Can you please go and fetch me some water to quench my thirst?” Narada immediately sped off towards the villages in search of water.

      As he reached the outskirts of village, he saw a beautiful maiden drawing water from a well. He approached her and politely requested for a pitcher of water. She was very respectful and offered to help him. She took him to her house and performed all the honours that any venerable guest would receive in those days. Narada was not only impressed by the hospitality, but also mesmerized by her beauty and sweetness. Their conversation prolonged and he met her family, who were all very nice to him. As time passed, he felt comfortable and stayed longer at their request. Days passed and Narada and the maiden fell in love and got married with the blessings of her parents. He continued to live with them, taking up the family business. Years passed and in due course he had two children.

      Soon after their third child was born, a huge flash flood hit the village and all the houses were submerged under water. Narada held the infant above the water and shepherded his other two children to safety. But the force of water pushed him and he lost control; the infant was washed away by the currents. His other two children and wife too got washed away and drowned. He was carried away by the currents and thrown ashore onto a far-off land. As he was gasping for life, he prayed hard to Vishnu to save him from this calamity!

      Just then, Krishna appeared on his side and asked him, “Narada, where is the water I asked for? I have been waiting it for more than 30minutes!” Narada was bewildered! When he came to his senses, he realized that it was all maya --- there was no family, no flood and no calamity; it was just his desires that had completely consumed him!

      As contrived as it might appear, the story reveals an important truth --- one can be so intensely driven by the mind, desires and emotions that one completely forgets one’s real state and falsely assumes the perceived state as real.

      Scholars say that maya not only hides the reality from you, but also misguides you to think of another fictitious state as reality. A simple analogy that all of us face is a dream. In a dream, we could be chased by a tiger, and we feel desperate; our heart pounds faster, we lose hope as the tiger catches us in the dream and when we suddenly wake up, we realise there is no tiger or calamity.

      Is our day-to-day life also like that? As children, you may not be able to answer that question or understand the depth of the situations we face. But our ancestors have thought about these questions very deeply and have provided answers in the Vedas. When you grow up, try to read this lore of knowledge as it will help you understand life better.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is the difference between glass and crystal?

Objects made of glass and crystal are both fragile and translucent. However, crystalware is prized for its fineness and delicate beauty. The crucial ingredient that sets ordinary sturdy glass apart from luxurious crystal is lead. Most common glass items like window panes and drinking glasses are made of soda-lime glass, which is composed of lime, soda, and silica (sand), but no lead. Soda-lime glass was known to man since ancient times. Another variety is heat-resistant glass (the kind used for laboratory equipment)—it is made of silica and boron trioxide. On the other hand, crystal is a type of glass, which contains at least 24 per cent lead oxide. The technique of producing crystal was originally discovered by Englishman George Ravenscroft in 1674. Addition of lead oxide allows crystal to have a higher index of refraction than normal glass, making it sparkle. More the lead, greater is the sparkle. Lead also makes the glass softer and easier to etch to create artistic pieces. Despite its name, crystal glass does not have a crystalline structure.

THE VALIANT TRIBAL LEADER

 Birsa Munda

Birsa Munda was a valiant freedom fighter who was born at Ulihatu in the Bengal Presidency (presently in Jharkhand) on 15th November 1875 into a Munda family. His parents were Sugana Munda and Karmi Hatu. His childhood was spent in a typical Munda style amidst poverty.

He got converted to Christianity and became Birsa David/Daud in order to receive an education from a missionary school.

He spent a great part of his childhood in Chaibasa. He was influenced by the national movement there. His father withdrew him from the missionary school. Birsa developed a strong anti-government and anti-missionary attitude in his mind there.

During the 1890s, he started speaking to his people about the exploitation done by the British on the Indian. The British agrarian policies were stifling the tribal people and disrupting their way of life which was hitherto peaceful and in tune with nature. Another problem was that of cultural belittlement of the tribal people by the Christian missionaries.

The Mundas had followed the Khunkhatti system of joint landholding. The British replaced this egalitarian system with the Zamindari System. Outsiders entered the tribal landscape and started exploiting them. In their own turf, they became forced labourers. Poverty descended on them like a strangling chain.

In 1894, Birsa announced his declaration against the British and the Dikus (outsiders) and thus began the Munda Ulgulan. This is a very important rebellion of the tribal people among the various uprisings of the tribals and peasants in India in the 19th century.

Many Mundas, Kharias and Oraons accepted him as their leader. Birsa advocated the tribal people to shun the missionaries and revert to their traditional ways. He also asked people not to pay taxes.

He was arrested in 1895 and released after two years. In 1899, he resumed his armed struggle along with the people. He razed police stations, government property, churches and houses of Zamindars.

The British caught him in 1900 from Jamkopai forest, Chakradharpur. Birsa Munda died on June 9th 1900 while lodged at the Ranchi jail aged just 25. Authorities claimed he died of cholera although this is doubted.