Memories in Fragments

A Mohiniyattam Recital by Amith K.

Description:

Amith K is a Mohiniyattam practitioner based in Kochi, Kerala. He has been engaging with the form for the past 8 years. But over the past two years, his practice has evolved significantly through research, fieldwork, and archival exploration into the history of Mohiniyattam.

This journey led him to learn from Kalamandalam Chandrika, a direct disciple of the traditional Mohiniyattam dancer, Thottasshery Chinnammu Amma. For the past year, he has been studying the traditional repertoire under her guidance. These pieces are distinct from the Mohiniyattam commonly seen today and preserve unique adavus and abhinaya techniques from the hereditary practitioners' tradition. He has learned several pieces in their raw form—some of which are no longer performed on stage today. In some cases, key segments of these pieces have been erased, yet these very segments hold critical historical significance.

Unfortunately, Chinnammu Amma’s name and legacy…