Kala Vijayan is traditional to the core when it comes to retaining the stylistics of Mohiniyattam. It is no wonder, since the veteran danseuse had learned the basics of the classical dance form from none other than her mother, celebrated Mohiniyattam exponent Kalamandalam Kalyani Kuttiyamma, whose entire life was an emblem of the essence of Mohiniyattam.
‘Kalyani Krishna Fine Arts Academy- Kerala Kalalayam’, founded by Padma shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Kalyani Kuttiyamma in 1952 has completed 60 long years and Kala Vijayan, whom students fondly addresses as ‘Kala teacher’, has been carrying the baton of her illustrious parents forward.
“Dance runs deep in my veins,” says the seasoned dancer, who has been teaching the nuances of Mohiniyattam from the young age of 14. “Teaching had been my forte from school days. I used to take classes for my mother’s students when she was engaged with dance programmes,” says the teacher. Now, Kerala Kalalaya, run by her son Ajith Vijayan at Tripunithura has 500 students and 19 teachers. 13 diverse subjects, ranging from Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi to Mridangam, Tabla, Guitar, Organ, Veena, Violin, drawing and painting, cinematic dance and also the martial art form Kalarippayattu are taught at the dance school.
The 69-year-old dancer has imbibed vast knowledge of Mohiniyattam through her academic learning from Kalakshethra, Adayar, from her mother and also through her diligent research over the years. She has also learned other dance forms, including Kathakali. “I learned Kathakali from my father, and during my youth, I have donned several ‘sthree vesham’ (female roles).”
Kala teacher has composed and choreographed many performances, and presented them at almost all Indian cities. The artist also holds the credit of penning the first complete study on the subject. ‘Mohiniyattam- Ariyendathellam’, provides a detailed explanation of the history and tradition of Mohiniyattam, its mudras, the intricate relation of the ‘lasya’ dance with other art forms, the author’s own compositions, all in a nutshell. “My mother had written a book titled, ‘Mohiniyattam Charithravum Attaprakaravum’ in 1992. I helped her with this work, which instilled confidence in me. Also, I occasionally used to write articles for Malayalam magazines on the subject.”
“The art form which my mother had strived hard to revive, has been gradually losing its traditional essence,” she laments, adding that this was the prime reason she decided to pen the book. “Through my research, I found 32 ‘adavukal’ and several ‘tantric mudras’. I found that there used to be an indispensable relation between tantric art and Mohiniyattam. I also discovered that yoga and dance were closely linked. So, this book, which is a product of sheer hard work for years, is an attempt to encompass everything related to the art form under a single roof.” she says.
Kala teacher, a recipient of several awards including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award is also a poet. She says, “My mother had published a collection of poems titled ‘Vanamala’. O N V Kurup, in the preface of the book, had lauded it for its simplicity. I was drawn to the world of poems by her.”
Since 1999, the dance school by Kala teacher has been honouring talented artists with the ‘Kalyani- Krishnan memorial Kala Ratna Award,’ which has been so far conferred upon 20 artists.