In era of reels, mohiniyattam's future bright, says dancer Pallavi

THE world is no stranger to the Lasya style of presentation and unique rhythms of mohiniyattam. The iconic classical dance form from Kerala stands out for its slow and gentle movements, and for many, this is what makes it appealing.

- GOPIKA VARRIER @Thrissur

From an art form that was largely ignored until stalwarts like Kalamandalam Satyabhama and Guru Bharati Shivaji took it up and worked hard to introduce it to the world, mohiniyattam has come a long way, boasting a galaxy of performers. Pallavi Krishnan is one of them.

Born in the remote village of Durgapur in Kolkata, Pallavi is a mohiniyattam virtuoso, with a career spanning over four decades.

While studying in Santiniketan, she felt a fascination for classical art forms of South India. Despite being from a family that had no history of arts, Pallavi decided to pursue a course in mohiniyattam and other classical dance forms in Kerala Kalamandalam. Her guru Kalamandalam Shankaranarayanan guided her.

"There were several concerns in my family when I shared my plan to join Kalamandalam. The encouragement from my mother's elder sister and my guru's assurance gave my father confidence to send me to Kerala," recalled Pallavi.