The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Mohiniattam has a meditative feel to it’

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Thursday, May 01, 2008
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‘Mohiniattam has a meditative feel to it’

Asha Mavinasara

‘I want to open a cultural cafe or something similar back home
in Palakkad’

captivating: Methil Devika has been honoured with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar.

Bangalore: Few would know that local Mohiniattam dancer Methil Devika holds a degree in business management, and with a gold medal at that.

The danseuse, who was honoured with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar on Tuesday, spoke to The Hindu about how Mohiniattam drew her into a very different world, captivating her both as a performer and as an academic.

“Unlike most other dance forms, which are full of energy and perhaps more vibrant and colourful, Mohiniattam is soft and subtle. It is graceful and mild, giving it an almost meditative and contemplative feel. This is reflected in the simple attire too, she explains.

Methil Devika believes there is no harm in adapting classical dance forms to unconventional themes or experimenting with departures from Hindu mythology. “Dance is all about communication and entertainment. There is no hard and fast rule that a particular theme should be followed, as long as it fuses with the art style and does not destroy the original meaning of the dance form,” she says.

Not easy

But making a successful career and a living out of dance is never easy, she says. “It’s not easy but it is certainly not impossible,” she insists. There is only one mantra to get there – patience. Other jobs will promise you a monthly salary. But in this field nothing is definite — there are often times when there is no income from it at all.”

The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is as much an honour as it is a reminder of “my responsibility as a dancer,” the 32-year-old artiste says.

‘Just the beginning’

“I will be expected to do more now that I have reached this height. Everyone will have their eyes on me. The award is not the end, it is just the beginning.”

“And I still have so much to learn,” she adds.

“I want to open a cultural cafe or something similar back home in Palakkad. There is a whole bunch of talented and intelligent artistes who need more exposure and training which I intend to give.

“I also plan to open an arts library because there is lack of awareness about the background of various dance forms in India. I want to bring like-minded people together — all those who are brimming with talent but do not know where to go.”

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