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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2007/05/04/stories/2007050400090200.htm)

Friday Review

 

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Of temple tales

 

 

 

N. KALYANI

 

 

Deepti Omchery Bhalla's book " Vanishing Temple Arts " that deals with

Mohiniyattom and the music of Kerala has just hit the stands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACCOMPLISHED: Deepti Omchery Bhalla

 

 

 

As a Carnatic music vocalist, she is simply mellifluous. She is also a

Mohiniyattom dancer extraordinaire.

 

Trained in Kathakali, Kerala's sangeetam is the subject of her continuous

research. Meet Deepti Omchery Bhalla, recipient of this year's Kerala Sangeet

Natak Akademi Award. But Deepti's latest achievement is her book, " Vanishing

Temple Arts " (comprising temples of Kerala as well as Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari

district) brought out by Shubhi Publications. A gifted singer, Deepti has

trained in Carnatic music with Pallavi Vidwan T. S Raghavan, besides her mother

Leela Omchery and other luminaries. She is currently a professor of Carnatic

classical music at Delhi University's Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, from where

she did her doctorate too.

 

 

Extensive research

 

 

 

" Vanishing Temple Arts " is based on Deepti's extensive research in the areas of

Mohiniyattom and the music of Kerala. " In Kerala, sangeetam still encompasses

the triune of geetam (vocal), vadyam (instrumental) and nrityam (dance), "

explains Deepti, whose Mohiniyattom recitals and Carnatic music concerts, both

in India and abroad, have always left the audiences in raptures.

 

" The kovil (temple) sampradaya possesses talas belonging to the ancient marga

talas which are not a part of Carnatic music, " reveals Deepti. The dancer, who

is proud to have trained with the legendary Mohiniyattom dancer Kalamandalam

Kalyani Kuttiamma, elucidates how she has used these talas.

 

" I have incorporated these talas - Randaam, Raja Vidyadhara, Muddakku and

Triteeya, etc., innovatively, without distorting them structurally into

Mohiniyattom's classical mould, " she says. And this has enhanced the

Mohiniyattom repertoire to include such novel choreographic works as Dundubhi

Natyam, Nritya Prabandham and Malayala Javali, besides many others, she adds.

 

The history of Mohiniyattom, right from its birth in the court of Maharaja Swati

Tirunal (1813-1847) of Travancore to contemporary times, has also been dealt

with extensively in the book.

 

Deepti points out, " Although Mohiniyattom is construed as the sensual dance of

the enchantress, in reality, it is a dance characterised by a subtle portrayal

of emotions, with the dancer interacting, as it were, with Lord Padmanabha. "

 

 

Evolution of Mohinyattom

 

 

 

She adds, " But the post-Swati Thirunal period witnessed a degradation of the

dance form. The coming up of erotic variants such as Kalavakoothu, Mookuthi

etc., was in complete reversal to the trend in the times prior to the birth of

Mohiniyattom, when female temple dancers, the Talinankas, were actually treated

at par with the temple goddesses. "

 

However, with the formation of the Kerala Kalamandalam by poet Vallathol in

1930, Mohiniyattom started regaining its original status and acquiring

popularity as a classical dance form.

 

Deepti also trains young learners in both Carnatic music and Mohiniyattom at the

Trikalaa Gurukulam, a school run by her mother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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