“It generally narrates the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu. Like other classical dances, it has its own Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (expressive dance) aspects. The Lasya (graceful and delicate movements) aspect is dominant ,making it a dance form primarily performed by female dancers. The performance is accompanied by music and songs, enhancing its expressive nature. It does not involve elaborate facial makeup. The dancer wears a leather strap with bells (Ghunghroo) on her ankles, adding rhythm to the performance.”

The above given information describes which one of the dance ?
(a) Bharatnatyam
(b) Odissi
(c) Kuchipudi
(d) Mohiniattam

Question

&ldquo;It generally narrates the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu. Like other classical dances, it has its own Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (expressive dance) aspects. The Lasya (graceful and delicate movements) aspect is dominant ,making it a dance form primarily performed by female dancers. The performance is accompanied by music and songs, enhancing its expressive nature. It does not involve elaborate facial makeup. The dancer wears a leather strap with bells (Ghunghroo) on her ankles, adding rhythm to the performance.&rdquo;

The above given information describes which one of the dance ?
(a) Bharatnatyam
(b) Odissi
(c) Kuchipudi
(d) Mohiniattam

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

The term &lsquo;Mohini&rsquo; refers to a beautiful woman, while &lsquo;Attam&rsquo; means dance. This elegant and expressive solo dance form is traditionally performed by women.

Key Features:

Narrates the Feminine Dance of Vishnu: Mohiniattam depicts the story of the female form of Vishnu.
Combination of Styles: It blends the grace of Bharatanatyam with the vigor of Kathakali but has gentle footwork with no forceful stomping.

Nritta and Nritya Aspects: Like other classical dances, Mohiniattam has both pure dance (Nritta) and expressive dance (Nritya) elements.

Lasya Dominance: The dance is known for its Lasya aspect (beauty and grace), making it a female-dominated art form.

Music and Songs: Mohiniattam performances are accompanied by music and singing.

Costume and Jewelry: Dancers wear white and off-white costumes with gold brocade designs and a leather strap with bells (Ghunghroo) on their ankles.

Minimal Facial Makeup: Unlike Kathakali, Mohiniattam does not involve elaborate facial makeup.

Musical Instruments: Instruments such as cymbals, veena, drums, and flute are used.

Notable Proponents: Some famous Mohiniattam dancers include Sunanda Nair, Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Madhuri Amma, and Jayaprabha Menon.

Indian Classical Dances

Mohiniattam

Website Link

Test Your Knowledge

Student Resources


E Question 1	⏱ 0
“It generally narrates the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu. Like other classical dances, it has its own Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (expressive dance) aspects. The Lasya (graceful and delicate movements) aspect is dominant ,making it a dance form primarily performed by female dancers. The performance is accompanied by music and songs, enhancing its expressive nature. It does not involve elaborate facial makeup. The dancer wears a leather strap with bells (Ghunghroo) on her ankles, adding rhythm to the performance.” The above given information describes which one of the dance ? (a) Bharatnatyam (b) Odissi (c) Kuchipudi (d) Mohiniattam