Mohiniattam, a women’s form from Kerala, was named after a mythological dance performed by Vishnu in the guise of a seductress, designed to defeat the demon Bhasmasura. While some of the physical dynamics are recognizably close to Kathakali, the form is distinctly more feminine, marked by graceful and sensuous swaying of the upper body and long, flowing lines emerging from a strong base.
Mohiniattam may have some parallels with Nannial Kuttu, a folk form practised by Nambiar women, but the first literary reference to the form is in the 16th-century text Vyavaharamala. The current repertoire, however, dates from the compositional efforts of Maharaja Swati Tirunal in the 19th century. Further developments in the form were largely due to Vallathol, who gave it a home in Kerala Kalamandalam alongside Kathakali.
