💃 Chapter 06 · Topic 04 · Classical Dance

Manipuri & Mohiniyattam

Manipuri — Manipur, Ras Leela, gentle flowing style; Mohiniyattam — Kerala, lasya, feminine grace — complete UPSC & PSC notes.

💃 Manipuri

Classical dance form of Manipur (Northeast India)
Deeply rooted in Vaishnavite tradition — introduced to Manipur by King Bhagyachandra in the 18th century after his conversion to Vaishnavism
Most famous form: Ras Leela — enactment of Krishna’s divine dance with the Gopis; performed during festivals, especially Ras Purnima
Three types of Ras: Maharas, Vasantaras, Kunja Ras
Style: gentle, lyrical, flowing — no sharp angular movements; feet never stamp the ground; movements are soft and circular
Costume: distinctive barrel-shaped skirt (potloi) for women; elaborate headdress; no ankle bells (unlike other classical dances)
Music: Manipuri classical music (Pung Cholom — drum dance); Kartal (cymbals)
Revived for national audience by Rabindranath Tagore who invited Manipuri teachers to Shantiniketan (1919)
Key exponents: Guru Bipin Singh, Darshana Jhaveri, Savita Mehta

⭐ Pung Cholom: A distinctive Manipuri dance form where male dancers play the pung (barrel drum) while dancing. The dancers perform acrobatic movements while maintaining rhythmic drumming — a unique combination of music and dance. It is performed during festivals and is considered a form of worship. Pung Cholom is one of the most visually spectacular elements of Manipuri performing arts.

💃 Mohiniyattam

Classical dance form of Kerala
Name: Mohini (enchantress — the female avatar of Vishnu) + Attam (dance) = “Dance of the Enchantress”
Predominantly a solo female dance — one of the most feminine classical dances
Style: lasya (graceful, feminine) — gentle swaying movements; no sharp angles; fluid, wave-like motion
Costume: distinctive white and gold sari (kasavu sari); jasmine flowers in hair; minimal jewellery
Themes: devotional — stories of Vishnu, Krishna, Shiva; Manipravalam literature (blend of Sanskrit and Malayalam)
Historical origins: performed in Kerala temples; associated with Devadasi tradition
Revival: Vallathol Narayana Menon revived Mohiniyattam in the 20th century; founded Kerala Kalamandalam (1930)
Key exponents: Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Shanta Rao, Bharati Shivaji, Sunanda Nair

📌 Kerala Kalamandalam: Founded in 1930 by the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, Kerala Kalamandalam is the premier institution for training in Kerala’s classical performing arts — Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Thullal, and Panchavadyam. It is located in Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur district. In 2012, it was granted the status of a Deemed University — the first performing arts institution in India to receive this status.

⚖️ Manipuri vs Mohiniyattam — Comparison

Feature	Manipuri	Mohiniyattam
State	Manipur	Kerala
Style	Gentle, flowing, circular	Lasya — graceful, feminine, swaying
Costume	Barrel-shaped skirt (potloi)	White and gold kasavu sari
Ankle bells	No ankle bells	Ankle bells worn
Theme	Ras Leela — Krishna and Gopis	Vishnu/Krishna stories; Manipravalam
Revivalist	Rabindranath Tagore (brought to Shantiniketan)	Vallathol Narayana Menon (Kerala Kalamandalam)
Performers	Both male and female	Predominantly female solo

✅ Revision Checklist — Manipuri & Mohiniyattam

✅ Manipuri = Manipur = Vaishnavite = Ras Leela = King Bhagyachandra
✅ Manipuri = gentle flowing style = no ankle bells = barrel-shaped skirt (potloi)
✅ Rabindranath Tagore = brought Manipuri to Shantiniketan (1919)
✅ Pung Cholom = drum dance = male performers = acrobatic
✅ Mohiniyattam = Kerala = “Dance of the Enchantress” = Mohini avatar of Vishnu
✅ Mohiniyattam = lasya = graceful feminine = white and gold kasavu sari
✅ Vallathol Narayana Menon = revived Mohiniyattam = Kerala Kalamandalam (1930)
✅ Kerala Kalamandalam = Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur = Deemed University (2012)