Dasavatharam by Bharati Sivaji and her troupe

It was a nice way to begin the month with a dance festival at Krishna Gana Sabha on sankhya. The festival began with the representation of number ten (dasa) in Mohiniyattam by the renowned mohiniyttam exponent Bharati Sivaji and her troupe. The ever popular Dasavatharm or ten incarantions of Lord Vishnu were presented by the dancers in a simple format with the added grace of the dance form. The unique representation came in later with the depiction of Dasapushpam or the ten flowers which was indeed like a fresh bloom; a rare treat. It was an interesting choreography with the dancers transforming themselves as ten different flowers that are commonly used in Kerala during the Thiruvathira month considered auspiscoius for ladies. On the final day of Thiruvathira, ladies get together for a few rounds of Thiruvathirakali or Kummi.

The show once again proved that it is difficult to have synchronised movement in mohiniyattam since each dancer has varied degree and inherent style of bending; the charactersitic move of the dance form. The eyes looking for perfection might turn away but the hearts looking for some graceful moments could stay on watching mohiniyattam, the classical dane form of Kerala.