Kalamandalam Radhika

 Kalamandalam Radhika started dancing at the age of three, under training of Guru Rajan. In her quest to learn the different aspects of dance she learnt mridhangam vaitharis from Guru Ponniah pillai to attain mastery over the techniques of rhythm. She then learnt Kathakali from Muttar Sri. Narayana Panicker to hone her skills and talent. She later specialized in Mohiniattam having studied under the all time Great Gurus like Late Chinnammuamma and Kalamandalam Sathyabhama. She was also under the teaching of Late Kalamandalam Kalyani Kutty Amma for a short period. Her training under Kalamandalam Padmanabha Ashan in kathakali polished her Abhinayam to a great extent.

Kalamandalam Radhika was born in Bangalore to K.K Nair, a chartered accountant. She started learning dancing at the age of three under Guru Rajan, and later learnt Kathakali from Muttar Sri. Narayana Panicker and mridhangamvaitharis from Guru Ponniahpillai. In the late 1960s, she moved to Cheruthuruthy and stayed at the Kalamandalam for four years. Under the wings of Chinnammu Amma, Kalamandalam Sathyabhama and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair she was moulded into a skilled performer. Her tutelage under the late Kalamandalam Kalyani Kutty Amma and her training under Kalamandalam Padmanabha Ashan in Kathakali honed her skills.

Radhika has written numerous articles for the dance and music magazine Shrutilaya and has submitted a paper on Mohiniyattom at a seminar organized by the NCERT on the subject of ‘Dance Education in Schools'. She has also written an article about the Devadasi system of Kerala for the weekly Indu , published from Houston, USA, and is the author of the books 'Mohiniyattom-The Lyrical Dance of Kerala´ and ‘Mudra’ published by Mathrabhoomi.

 

Kaikotti Kali Dance

Kaikottikali Dance is a ceremonial dance and is often performed during the festive seasons like Thiruvathira and Onam by the regional womenfolk of Kerala. It is a simple and gentle dance with the 'lasya' element forming its main part in overall dance. Sometimes, even men participate in it, where the 'thandava' part is also brought in dance performance occasionally. The Thandava form of this dance form is observed particularly in the regions of Malabar.

Thiruvathira as a dance form is a collective performance by women around a traditional wick lamp (Nila Vilakku). A container or Kindi filled with water, Arippara or barrel of rice and Ashtamangalayam (set of eight auspicious elements) are also arranged near the lamp. The dancers co-ordinate their hand movements as they go clapping upwards and downwards in a rhythm, in tune with the songs that they are singing.

Women are seen dressed in traditional Kerala attire. It may be either two pieces of cloth called Mundu Neriyathu or a Kerala sari. The dancers tie their hair in a bun and decorate it with jasmine flowers and a small bunch of Dasapushpam (10 sacred flowers). The dance performance usually begins in praise of Ganesha followed by a prayer to Saraswati called Saraswati Vandanam. Songs in praise of Siva and Vishnu, folk tales and Kathakali songs are also performed by singers in the background. The dancers move in a circle, making both fast and slow movements in a graceful manner according to the rhythm of the song.

Ceremonies begin with the eating of a special meal called Ettangadi on Makairyam day, the day before Thiruvathira day. The ingredients of Ettangadi are sorghum, yam, kachil, berry, yam, lentil, sugar, and honey. It is eaten the night before. But this ceremony is not observed today. Drink water and charcoal water.

 Dasapushkas are collected in front of the house during the day. Thiruvathirakali starts after sunset. After Thiruvathira nakshatramudhi at midnight, the dancers sing devotional songs and bring dasa flowers along with Ashtamangalyam holding the lamp to the house. Later they wear these flowers in their hair. This is called half-breeding. The flowers are lit by singing songs praising the deities of each flower. Crows are also seen