Taking Mohiniyattam beyond its existing frontiers

Centre for Mohiniyattam is all set to present 'Samvaad' – a dialogue between Mohiniyattam and other like-minded classical dance forms namely Odissi, Sattriya, Manipuri and Chhau. The dance form expresses how the styles, in spite of their well-delineated vocabulary, compliment each other beautifully and can come together to weave a poetic tapestry of grace and rasa.

The event will be held on March 1, 7 pm, at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre.

Talking about the highly-awaited cultural extravaganza and this celebrated form of dance, Guru Bharati Shivaji said, "My effort has always been to continually enrich and expand Mohiniyattam beyond its existing frontiers, even in terms of exploring possibilities of its growth in conjunction with other styles that can compliment its mood and aesthetics well. Samvaad – the collective, is another attempt towards this goal, to synchronously explore Mohiniyattam's adaptability with like-minded dance traditions."

The performances will be given by the Senior Disciples of Guru Bharati Shivaji including Vinaya Narayanan (Mohiniyattam), Anwesa Mahanta (Sattriya), Kavita Dwibedi (Odissi), Manjula Murthy (Mohiniyattam), Bimbavati Devi (Manipuri), Momm Ganguly (Mohiniyattam), Vani Bhalla Pahwa (Mohiniyattam), Rakesh Sai Babu (Chhau).

One of the artists Vani Bhalla Pahwa is the senior-most disciple, and was amongst the first students who began training under her since the inception of her dancing years. Another artist Rakesh Sai Babu is a Mayurbhanj Chhau dancer based in New Delhi. Born to a royal ancestry of renowned Mayurbhanj Chhau performers, he got the privilege to learn the art from his father, a renowned Sangeet Natak awardee, Guru Janmejoy Sai Babu.

CFM stands as a glorious symbol of India's timeless cultural heritage. Since its inception, CFM has made relentless efforts towards research, training, and propagation of this enchanting dance form of Kerala.