>Acacacacczc at 22:07, 9 July 2021

2021-07-09T22:07:09Z

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{{Infobox person
| name = Kala Vijayan
| birth_date = 8 May 1944
| birth_place = Desamangalam, Shornur
| occupation = Indian Classical Dancer
| known_for = Mohiniyattam
| spouse = C.K. Vijayan
| children = 1
| parents =
| image = IMG-20210625-WA0012.jpg
}}
'''Kala Vijayan''' is an [[Indian classical dance]] performer, choreographer, author and actor. She is the daughter of [[Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair]] and [[Mohiniyattam]] exponent [[Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma]]. Kala Vijayan is trained in [[Mohiniyattam]], [[Bharatanatyam]] and [[Kathakali]], however she is best known for her contributions to Mohiniyattam. She is the recipient of [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi|Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy]] Award for Mohiniyattam (1998)<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|title=Dance, Awards, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi|url=http://www.keralaculture.org/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=www.keralaculture.org|language=en}}</ref> and the Kerala State Award for Mohiniyattam (2019).<ref>{{Cite web|title=2018 Kathakali awards announced in Kerala|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2019/nov/13/2018-kathakali-awards-announced-in-kerala-2060961.html|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> She is the Principal Director and senior Guru at Kerala Kalalayam, a fine arts institute established by Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma at [[Thrippunithura|Thripunithura]] in 1952.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|title=In step with tradition|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2013/feb/07/in-step-with-tradition-448338.html|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

== Family ==
Kala Vijayan was born on 8 May 1944 at [[Desamangalam]] village, [[Shoranur|Shornur]]. Kala’s father, [[Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair]] was a Kathakali artists who popularized Kathakali within Kerala and beyond.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gopalakrishnan|first=K. K.|date=2014-04-10|title=Beauty personified|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/beauty-personified/article5895859.ece|access-date=2021-06-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Kala’s mother, [[Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma]], is remembered as the “Tharavattamma” or “Mother” of Mohiniyattam.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|last=Paul|first=G. S.|date=2021-05-12|title=Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma: The Only Matriarch of Mohiniyattam|url=https://indiaartreview.com/2021/05/12/kalamandalam-kalyanikutty-amma-the-only-matriarch-of-mohiniyattam/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=India Art Review|language=en-US}}</ref> She was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kerala Kalamandalam from 1937 to 1940 and played a pivotal role in the resurrection of Mohiniyattam to a classical dance form.<ref name="auto"/>

Vijayan's elder sister Sreedevi Rajan is a Mohiniyattam artist and instructor.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaladharan|first=V.|date=2019-12-19|title=Confluence of classicism and aesthetics|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/dance-festival-organised-at-kochi/article30345720.ece|access-date=2021-06-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Sreedevi Rajan has two daughters – [[Smitha Rajan]] and Sandhya Rajan<ref>{{Cite web|title=Moved by legacy|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2021/may/25/moved-by-legacy-2306995.html|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> – both of whom are Mohiniyattam performers and instructors. Vijayan’s brother [[Kalasala Babu|Kalashala Babu]] was an Indian stage, serial and film actor.

Vijayan is married to C.K. Vijayan, a retired FACT employee. Her son is a film and television actor.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|title=Profile - Kala Vijayan - Venugopal SK|url=https://narthaki.com/info/profiles/profl238.html|access-date=2021-06-24|website=narthaki.com}}</ref>

== Education ==
Vijayan did her pre-university education from [[Maharaja's College, Ernakulam|Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.]] Growing up in a family of artists, she studied Mohiniyattam and Kathakali from her mother and father respectively.<ref name="auto3"/> She started her Mohiniyattam training under her mother at an early age and did her Mohiniyattam arangettam (stage initiation) by the age of 4. She started learning Bharatanatyam under Guru Thanjavoor A.R.R. Bhaskar. Her arangettam in Bharatanatyam happened at the age of 10. Her Kathakali arangettam happened at the age of 10 with an hour-and-half long performance of Poonthanamoksham. Kala Vijayan further did her higher studies in Bharatanatyam from [[Kalakshetra Foundation|Kalakshetra]] under the institute’s scholarship.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Career==
Vijayan was a child artist for a professional drama troupe. She Vijayan has been a performer of Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. She has been performing Bharatanatyam from the age of 10 to 36 and Kathakali from the age of 10 to 25. She has been a performer of Mohiniyattam from the age of 4 to 52 and still performs Mohiniyattam for selected programs.<ref name="auto1"/>

Vijayan started choreographing dance pieces from an early age and has choreographed dance items for Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam. She has choregraphed a Mohiniyattam item based on the story of [[Job (biblical figure)|Job]] from The Bible. She has composed and choregraphed dance dramas like [[Kannagi|Kannaki]] (based on the story from [[Silappatikaram|Chilapathikaram]]) and Kalam (about the changing seasons). She has also choregraphed and performed experimental dance recitals collaborating [[Mohiniyattam]], [[Kathakali]] and [[Bharatanatyam]]. Bhavayami Raghu Rama is one such dance piece. She advocates the Katcheri tradition that has been introduced into Mohiniyattam by her mother. Vijayan has composed and choreographed one such Katcheri recital. She has choreographed 2 Chollukettu, 11 Padam, 5 Varnam, 1 Thillana and 3 Saptham.<ref name="auto1"/>

Vijayan ventured into teaching Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam at the age of 14.<ref name="auto3"/> She has taught Mohiniyattam.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RLV Salini Harikumar|url=https://www.pisharodysamajam.com/shining_star/rlv-salini-harikumar/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Pisharody Samajam|language=en-US}}</ref> In an interview, [[Deepti Omchery Bhalla|Deepti Omcheri]], a Mohiniyattam exponent, recollected her initial training days under Vijayan.<ref name="auto1"/> Vijayan is the Principal Director of Kalyani-Krishna Fine Arts Academy Kerala Kalalayam and teaches Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam there.<ref name="auto3"/>

Based on the scientific and classical theories introduced by [[Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma]], Vijayan has created 25 new adavus (steps) for Mohiniyattam. Vijayan has conducted research in Tantric and Gramya Mudra, which have been published in her book.<ref name="auto3"/> Vijayan hosts and conducts a Mohiniyattam theoretical and practical video series through her YouTube channel - Kerala Kalalayam.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Codingest|date=2021-05-12|title=മോഹിനിയാട്ട തറവാട്ടമ്മയ്‌ക്ക്‌ മകളുടെ പൂജ|url=https://www.kalamnews.in/article-kalamandalam-Kalyanikkuttiyamma-st|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Admin|language=ml}}</ref>

== Awards ==
* 1978 - Natyakalarathnam Award by Sahrudaya Samithi, Tripunithura.<ref name="auto1"/>
* 1993 - Junior Fellowship from the Cultural Department of Govt. of India (Also received Senior Fellowship from the Cultural Department of the Government of India a few years later)<ref name="auto1"/>
* 1998 - Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award for Mohiniyattam<ref name="auto2"/>
* 2006 - Swathithirunal Performing Arts Trust’s Award for Mohiniyattam<ref name="auto1"/>
* 2019 - State Award for Mohiniyattam by the Govt. of Kerala<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2019-11-13|title=Kerala 'State Kathakali award-2018' announced|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kathakali-award-announced/article29956774.ece|access-date=2021-06-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Books ==
Vijayan has authored a book on Mohiniyattam titled ''Mohiniyattam: Ariyendath Ellam''. It was brought out by [[DC Books|DC Publishers]] in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=State Central Library Kerala - Online Catalog|url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=32071|url-status=live}}</ref> This book is included in the syllabus for Mohiniyattam in R.L.V. College, Tripunithura and Sree Sankara College, Kallady.<ref name="auto1"/>

== Filmography ==
* Lead character in [[Joshy Mathew]]’s film ''Angu Doore Oru Deshath'' (2017) which won the Best Children’s Film title in Kerala Film Critics Award (2018)<ref>{{Cite web|last=രഘുനാഥ്‌|first=രശ്മി|title=പദ്മരാജന്റെ ഈ സംവിധാന സഹായിയെടുത്ത കുട്ടികളുടെ സിനിമക്ക് രണ്ടാം തവണയും അവാര്‍ഡ് നേട്ടം|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/joshy-mathew-best-children-s-film-award-for-angu-doore-oru-deshathu--1.3614048|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Mathrubhumi|language=en}}</ref>
* Portrayed the role of [[Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma]] in the documentary ''Mother of Mohiniyattam'' (2019) directed by [[Vinod Mankara|Dr. Vinod Mankara]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=Paul|first=Gs|date=2020-01-02|title=Walking in the steps of Kalyanikuttty Amma|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/vinod-mankaras-mohinyattathinte-amma-on-kalamandalam-kalyanikutty-amma-chronicles-her-contributions-in-shaping-mohiniyattam/article30459809.ece|access-date=2021-06-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

{{improve categories|date=June 2021}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vijayan, Kala}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1944 births]]

Kala Vijayan - Revision history

>Acacacacczc at 22:07, 9 July 2021