Mythistorical Construction of Divinity and Femininity in Early Mohiniyattam Manuals
Abstract
The history of Indian classical dances has been shaped by nation-building ideologies that constructed a culturally sanctioned past. For Mohiniyattam, a classical dance from Kerala, dance manuals have constructed a religious and gendered narrative, often relying on myths to comprehend its fragmented history. This paper explores the mythistorical narratives in the dance manuals of four early Mohiniyattam practitioners: Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, Dr. Kanak Rele, and Bharati Shivaji. Through textual analysis and contextual interpretation, we explain how mythistorical accounts of divinity and femininity shape the sociocultural and bodily dynamics of the performance and the performer.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Arts and Performance Studies
Theatre and Performance Studies
South Asian Cinema and Culture
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Dance Chronicle
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 199–222
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN