Rohit Singh at 03:43, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T03:43:10Z

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{{short description|Indian Mohiniyattam dancer}}
{{Indian patronymic|Gopika|Varma}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gopika Varma
| birth_name = Gopika Gopal<ref name="Janmabhumi"/>
| image = Gopika Varma.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], Kerala
| spouse = Marthanda Varma
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Dancer, Dance teacher
| known for = [[Indian Classical Dance]]/ [[Mohiniyattam]]
| awards = {{bullet list|[[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] (2018)|[[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] (2008)|[[Kalaimamani]] (2004)}}
}}
'''Gopika Varma''' is a [[Kerala]] born [[Mohiniyattam]] dancer and dance teacher who is settled in [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India. She received several awards including [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]], [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] and Kalaimamani.

==Biography==
Born and raised in [[Thiruvananthapuram]],<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news |title=Teacher's pride,performer's envy |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2009/dec/28/teachers-prideperformers-envy-116686.html |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Gopika Varma migrated to Chennai from Kerala in 1995.<ref name="Mathrubhumi2">{{cite news |last1=ശശിധരന്‍ |first1=ശബ്‌ന |title=മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തെ സ്വന്തം പ്രാണനോടൊപ്പം ചേര്‍ത്ത് വയ്ക്കുന്നവര്‍ |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/women/features/mohiniyattam-dancers-speaks-covid19-corona-virus-lockdown-1.4756872 |work=Mathrubhumi |language=en |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204092352/https://www.mathrubhumi.com/women/features/mohiniyattam-dancers-speaks-covid19-corona-virus-lockdown-1.4756872 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She started learning dance at the age of three, from her mother.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Ranee |title=Mohiniattam dancer Gopika Varma's crowning glory |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/crowning-glory/article29233065.ece |work=The Hindu |date=23 August 2019 |language=en-IN}}</ref> At the age of 10, Gopika started learning Mohiniyattam from Girija and Chandrika Kurup and later she received specialized training from Kalyanikutty Amma and her daughter, Sreedevi Rajan.<ref name="art"/> Gopika learned the ''Abhinaya'' (acting) part of Mohiniyattam from [[Kathakali]] exponent [[Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair]].<ref name="Indian Express2">{{cite news |title='Sway Like the Green Fields of Kerala' |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2014/jun/12/sway-like-the-green-fields-of-kerala-623805.html |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref> She also studied [[Bharathanatyam]] under Vazhiyur Ramayyar Pillai, for 18 years.<ref name="Janmabhumi"/>

Although her guru was Kalyanikutty Amma, Gopika Varma follows her own style in Mohiniyattam.<ref name="Janmabhumi">{{cite news |title=ഗോപികാ വസന്തം |url=https://www.janmabhumi.in/read/news37570/ |work=Janmabhumi |language=en}}</ref> She has also performed Mohiniyattam in ''Sopana'' style under [[Kavalam Narayana Panicker]].<ref name="Janmabhumi"/> She runs a Mohiniyattam Dance School in [[Adyar, Chennai|Adyar]], [[Chennai]] under the name "Dasyam".<ref name="art"/>

===Personal life===
Gopika Varma is married into the [[Travancore royal family]], to Poorurttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma, descendant of [[Travancore]] king [[Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma]].<ref name="art">{{cite web |title=GOPIKA VARMA - www.artindia.net – Indian classical performing arts. |url=http://www.artindia.net/gopika.html |website=www.artindia.net |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=10 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710042851/http://www.artindia.net/gopika.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other than running a dance school, she runs a shelter home for the physically challenged and a textile unit for their work.<ref name="Deccan"/> She lives in her house ''Ramalayam'' in Adyar, Chennai.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chennai is home to some of the mourning 'royals' of Travancore |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2013/dec/17/chennai-is-home-to-some-of-the-mourning-royals-of-travancore-551973.html |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>

==Notable dance performances==
Gopika choreographed and performed dance named ''Ayonija Panchakanyaka'', about five unborn virgins in Indian mythology.<ref name="Janmabhumi"/> She has performed the poem ''Radhayevide'' written by [[Sugathakumari]] and composed by [[M. Jayachandran]], in Mohiniyattam form.<ref name="Janmabhumi"/> [[Yamini Reddy]], Kritika Subramaniam, Gopika Varma and [[Suhasini Maniratnam|Suhasini]] together choreographed and performed the dance named ''Antaram''.<ref>{{cite news |title=നാലു ഗോപികമാരുടെ അന്തരം രൂപാന്തരം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/women/work-and-life/dance.html |work=ManoramaOnline}}</ref> ''Chayamukhi'' is another dance performance she did.<ref name="Mathrubhumi2"/> The dance performance on Indian mythological characters [[Kunti]] and [[Ahalya]], done as part of the celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of [[Rabindranath Tagore]], was also notable.<ref>{{cite news |title=I want to spread joy through dance: Gopika Varma |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloid/all-rounders/i-want-spread-joy-through-dance-gopika-varma-420 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410044226/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloid/all-rounders/i-want-spread-joy-through-dance-gopika-varma-420 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-04-10 |work=Deccan Chronicle |date=10 April 2012}}</ref> She is now doing a dance composition based on [[Shankaracharya]]'s life.<ref>{{cite news |title=Philosophy on stage: when a Mohiniyattam exponent read Shankaracharya |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/lifestyle/women/2018/02/23/gopika-varma-mohiniyattam-dancer-philosophy-shankaracharya.html |work=OnManorama}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
* [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] 2018<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Ranee |title=Gopika Varma bags the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Mohiniyattam dance |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/crowning-glory/article28785046.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=1 August 2019 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
* [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keralaculture.org/dance-a-ksna/466|title=Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award: Dance|publisher=Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala|access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref>
* [[Kalaimamani]] 2004<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite news |last1=Varma |first1=Dr Anjana |title=Gopika Varma speaks about transforming hurt to motivation |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/features/specials/gopika-varma-speaks-about-transforming-hurt-to-motivation-1.4944050 |work=Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref> She is the first dancer to receive Kalaimamani for Mohiniyattam.<ref name="Mathrubhumi2"/>
* Nritya Choodamani Award 2010 from Krishna Gana Sabha<ref name="art"/>
* Abhinaya Kala Ratna Excellence Award<ref name="raza">{{cite web |title=Gopika Varma {{!}} The Raza Foundation |url=https://www.therazafoundation.org/awards-Gopika-Varma#:~:text=Gopika%20Varma%20is%20one%20of,be%20for%20another%20ten%20years. |website=www.therazafoundation.org |language=en-us |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=9 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409152100/https://www.therazafoundation.org/awards-Gopika-Varma#:~:text=Gopika%20Varma%20is%20one%20of,be%20for%20another%20ten%20years. |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Sathya Abhinaya Sundaram 2007<ref name="raza"/>
* Kaladarpanam Award 2003<ref name="raza"/>
* Yuva Kala Bharathi award by Bharat Kalachar 2001. She is the first Mohiniyattam dancer to receive this award.<ref name="nafo">{{cite web |title=NAFO KALALAYAM – Nafoglobal Kuwait |url=https://nafoglobal.com/nafo-kalalayam/}}</ref>
* Outstanding Performance Award by the House of Commons – London 2003<ref>{{cite news |title=Dance festival opens with Mohiniyattam |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/dance-festival-opens-with-mohiniyattam/story-gdsKkqsDHPTtriSI2tt8fM.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=23 August 2014 |language=en}}</ref>
* Satya Abinaya Sundaram<ref name="Deccan">{{cite news |last1=Ganesh |first1=Agila |title=The art of dance |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/240618/the-art-of-dance.html |work=Deccan Chronicle |date=24 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
* Natya Kala Vipanchee<ref name="Deccan"/>
* Rajakeeya Puraskaram<ref name="Deccan"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopika, Varma}}
[[Category:Indian female classical dancers]]
[[Category:Mohiniyattam dancers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Dancers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Women artists from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]]

Gopika Varma - Revision history

Rohit Singh at 03:43, 18 February 2026