Pavithran kozhikode actor
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Text: Paul Nicodemus
She is an epitome of Lasya (grace and beauty). Despite being strictly rooted in basics and traditions of Mohiniyattam and she is experimental enough to be a pioneer in adopting other genres. Kalamandalam Kshemavathy is a revered guru, exponent and choreographer, honoured by governments and cultural forums. With decades of experience in dance, she continues to preserve and promote Mohiniyattam through teaching, lecture demonstrations and performances.Kalamandalam Kshemavathy was born on June 10, 1948 in Thrissur, Kerala. She joined Kerala Kalamandalam when she was barely 11 years old and learned Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam. She completed her Diploma in Indian classical dance (Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam) from Kerala Kalamandalam. “From a young age, all I could think about was the dance,” she says. She would often imitate the steps from anything she would have watched on the big screen and kept dancing in front of the mirror. Her parents realised early on that she was definitely more into dancing than academics. So, they enrolled her in Kerala Kalam
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Kalamandalam Kshemavathy
- Padma Jayaraj, Thrissur
e-mail: padmajayaraj@gmail.com
Photos courtesy: PN Krishnakumar
November 6, 2009
Kalamandalam Kshemavathy
It was the beginning of 1970s. Ponkunnam Varkey, the renowned Malayalam writer was the President of the Kerala Sahitya Academy. They were preparing to host the Ninth Congress Convention, a national event in Maharaja College ground, Kochi. Varkey asked Kshemavathy whether she could present a stage show for free. In return he promised publicity. She agreed but wanted him to pay her orchestra. He kept his word - the print media highlighted both previews and reviews with photographs. Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, the Mohiniattam dancer was born out of the mega event. The rest is history.
"My very first lucky break, God's grace..." Yes, after that there was no turning back. It was followed by an invitation to World Youth Festival held in Berlin in 1973. The magic touch of Ponkunnam Varkey boosted the artiste to the international cultural horizon. Even now, after more than three decades, the trips to international venues
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Kalamandalam Kshemavathy
Mohiniyattam dancer
Kalamandalam Kshemavathy (born 1948) is a Mohiniyattam dancer from Thrissur, Kerala. She is an alumna of the Kerala Kalamandalam. She joined the institute when she was ten. After completion of the course, she undertook advanced training in Bharata Natyam under Muthuswamy Pillai and Chitra Visweswaran, and in Kuchipudi under Vempati Chinna Satyam, but chose to remain within the Mohiniyattam tradition.[1]
Credentials
She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2011 for her contributions to Mohinyattam.[2] She has also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award,[1] She received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1975 (for Bharatanatyam) and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship in 2015.[3][4]
Kshemavathy is known for her abhinaya and traditionalist approach to the art form.[5] She encourages research and believes that experimentation is inevitable, but must be explored leaving the basics of the art form untarnished. Her dance school has attracted internat
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