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Gopika Varma The dance form of Mohiniyattam was nurtured in the region of Kerala in southwestern India. The name Mohiniyattam literally means 'Dance of the Enchantress,' and it does have a mesmerizing quality. The white and gold costume, arresting hairstyle and the highly graceful movements in medium tempo, contribute to this aesthetic effect. Mohiniyattam is characterized by swaying movements of the upper body with legs placed in a stance similar to the plie position. The eyes play an important role in accenting the direction of the movement. Mention of Mohiniyattam is found in some eighteenth century texts, but the practical aspect of the style was revived in the reign of Maharaja Swati Tirunal, a 19th century ruler who was a great patron of the arts. Under Swati Tirunal, Mohiniattam crystallized as a solo dance tradition with musical compositions set to the Carnatic style of music and a distinct repertoire. Later, in the twentieth century, the great poet Vallathol established the Kerala Kalamandalam to promote the arts of Mohiniattam and Kathakali. Here, further research was done and Mohiniattam was codified and revived. Over the past few decades, the repertoire of Mohiniattam has been developed and expanded by dedicated performers who have ensured that this beautiful dance style retains a distinct identity among the classical dance styles of India. Apart from mythology, Mohiniattam contains a range of themes from nature. Gopika Varma, a leading exponent of the classical dance form Mohiniyattam, brided into the ancient Travancore royal family to Prince Pooruttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma who is famed down the age for its patronage of the fine arts.He takes into credit a pivotal role played in the revival and stage adaptation of this art that originated in medieval Kerala in southern India. Trained in Mohiniyattam under the eminent Smt.Girija and Smt. Chandrika Kurup, both senior students of renowned Guru Kalyani Kuttyamma, Gopika Varma, spent many years researching literary, sculptural and musical sources and meeting traditional gurus for glimpses of the origins of this lyrical dance art. She has performed under the expert guidance of the well known doyen of Kathakali stage Sri. Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, who helped her to reconstruct and expand the Mohini Attam repertoire and impart the knowledge of Abinaya which is the quintessence of Mohiniyattam. Gopika has also performed extensively at various art festivals, Sabhas and temples all over India and she has won laurels when ICCR chose her to represent India. Her Mohiniyattam is marked by extreme grace and fluidity of movement, trasnmitting radiance through movements and expressions that at times sigh with nostalgia, purity and sanctity which is of geometrical precision and technical finesse. Gopika Varma's training in Mohiniyattam since the age of ten has been under eminent gurus like Smt. Girija and Smt.Chandrika Kurup, both senior students of Kalyani Kuttyamma whose student she continued to be for 10 years. Later she specialized in the art form under the able guidance of Smt. Kalyani Kuttyamma herself and her daughter Sreedevi Rajan..

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