Mythistorical Construction of Divinity and Femininity in Early Mohiniyattam Manuals

Title

Mythistorical Construction of Divinity and Femininity in Early Mohiniyattam Manuals

Creator

Krishnan, Devika; Narayana, Sharmila

Description

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. 2026 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source

Dance Chronicle;Volume;49;Issue;1;pp.199-222

Date

01-01-2026

Publisher

Routledge

Subject

Dance History; Gender; Hinduism; Mohiniyattam; Mythistory

Coverage

Krishnan D., Department of English and Cultural Studies, Christ University, Bangalore, India; Narayana S., English Studies, Christ University, Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISSN: 1472526;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1080/01472526.2026.2622281

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029590350?origin=resultslist