New rhythm for Mohiniyattom
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Vinitha Nedungadi wants to incorporate innovations in Mohiniyattom without marring its structure or traditional style.
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Vinitha is doing research on Mohiniyattom to expand its horizons.
FOR VINITHA Nedungadi, Mohiniyatom is more than a form of dance. She is engrossed in studying this art form, particularly its literature and choreography.
She says that every art form has the capacity to evolve without rupturing its pristine structure. She feels that innovating an art form means expanding its possibilities to include new areas of creativity. But she knows that such innovations should be in tune with its inherent style and structure.
Vinitha, who is the daughter of P. Narendranath, writer, studied Mohiniyattom under reputed teachers such as Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Ramakrishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Renganayake. She started as a Bharatanatyam dancer and then decided to devote her time to Mohiniyattom.
Along with her training and busy career as a dancer, she felt that it was essential to do research in Mohiniyattom. Initial studies made her realise that that certain areas of this art form required restructuring.
Fellowship
A junior fellowship of the Kendra Sangeeta Nataka Akademi in 2003 helped her to do research on Mohinayattom. Her area of research dwelt upon ways to adapt the Kerala rhythm pattern to Mohiniyattom. "Although it is an art form of Kerala, Mohiniyattom has not fully adopted the Kerala rhythm pattern into it. So such a study is highly relevant," she says.
On studying the various performing art forms of Kerala, she found that rhythm-rich Padayani could enrich Mohiniyattom if its rhythm scheme was carefully adapted for the dance. Two parts of Padayani - `Kavithyam' and `Jeeva,' - have a fantastic rhythmic structure, which if adopted for Mohiniyattom would give it a new dimension. Padayani has a rare scheme of thala, slowly rising from a low point and ending at a high point. That `sanchara' of the rhythm scheme will suit Mohiniyattom, Vinitha says.
She feels that certain ingredients of Kathakali would suit Mohiniyattom. The thala of Kathakali has been notated now. This has helped its adaptation for Mohiniyattom.
Vinitha has composed a piece using `Kalasa chollu' of Kathakali set to Bhageswari raga in `Chempada thalam.' The performance of this piece won accolades at Kerala Kalamandalam.
Choreography
She has also choreographed the famous poem `Poothappattu,' written by Mahakavi Edassery Govindan Nair. Instead of a verbatim depiction, certain segments of the poem were selected and choreographed. Some of the other pieces that have been choreographed by her are `Karukare Karmukil' of Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, `Omana Thingal Kidavo' of Irayimman Thampi, and `Pingala' a poem written by Mahakavi Ulloor.
Vinitha feels that though most of the classical performing arts are precise and elegant in conception, there are certain areas that require restructuring. One such segment she feels is `Pada varna' of Mohiniyattom, which requires innovations. "The present structure is almost like that of Bharatanatya. Some experts also feel that the energy level and possibilities of `Jathi' are not fully explored in it. That is a thrust area of reform."
G. PRABHAKARAN
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