Mohiniyattam (Kathakali, Kudiyattam) fundamental Mudras (hasthas, handgestures) from Hasthalakshanadeepika in English transliteration

Apart from movement stylistics, Mohiniyattam differs from Bharatanatyam in mudras (hand gestured) used for narration of stories and sentiments. While Bharatanatyam mudras base themselves on Nathya Shastra and Abhinaya Darpana, Mohiniyattam, like kathakali and kudiyattam derive their mudras from the text called Hasthalakshanadipika (or hasthalakshanadeepika). A few mudras, however, such as alapadma (lotus) are borrowed from Abhinaya Darpana and extensively used in Mohiinyattam both in nritta (abstract non-thematic dance) and abhinaya portions (expressions, pantomime).  There are 24 fundamental mudras in Hasthalakshanadeepika, each of them has both double and single hand usages. Apart from that there are also mixed mudras usages.

24 fundamental mudras as per Hasthalakshanadeepika:

Shloka:

Hastāha pathākō mudrākyāha

kațakō mushtirithyapi

kartharimykha samjascha

śukatundaha kapithakaha

hamsāpakșcha śikharō

hamsāsya Punaranjalihi

arthavhandracha Mukurō

bramara sūchikāmukhaha

palavasthripathācha

mrihaśīrșāhoyasthathā

punasarpāśirōsāmjō

vardhamānaka ethyapi

arāļa umanābhas

muukuļa kadāmukhaha

chathurvimsathirithyethē

karāha sāstrajnasammathāha

The Ardhanarinatesvara (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra

The Ardhanarinatesvara  (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra

Hymn to the Lord of Dance who is Half Woman

( extracts from "The Lord who is Half Woman:  Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist perspective/ Ellen Goldberg, 2002-)

The Ardharinatesvara Stotra is a devotional poem attributed to Adi Sankara, the principal expounder of the advaita school of Indian Philosophy. Stotras, or hymns of praise, to a particular deity are typically eulogistic (a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person) in nature and, as Jan Gonda (1977) suggests, trace their roots in uninterrupted continuity from the Vedic age to the present. Bruce Long (1983) agrees, and he claims that the invocation of the pantheon of deities though such hymns of praise was “common practice” in Vedic Period….

… The arhanarinatesvara stotra in which the emblems, attributed, and qualities of Siva-Siv`a (Siva-PArvathi) are praised by its (anonymous) author is of particular interest here. Averall it provides an excellent illustration of the strotra tradition and the doctrine of Bhed`abheda (unity-in-difference) and is a rich primary source of poetic iconography embellishing our typology and diagnostic features that informs the image of Ardhanarisvara.

The strotra is a simple formulaic device recited or chanted by the worshipper as an integral part of ritual puja… It involves a string of simple epithets declaring obeisance to the deity, Below is a transliteration of the Ardharinatesvara stotra from the devanagari script, a translation, and a brief analysis of the hymn.

The Ardhanarinatesvara  (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra:

1.     1. Cāmpeya gaurārdha śarīrakāyai

Karpūra gaurārda śarīrakāya.

Dhammillakāyai ca jaţadhrāya

Namah Śivāyai ca namah Śivāya.

Her body is fair like campā flower

His body is like camphor

She has a braided hairstyle ornamented with pearls

And he has matted hair

I bow to Śivā and I bow to Śiva

Thillana Geethu Ragam Dhanasree, lyrics with Panchanada in talam

Ragam Dhanasree
Talam Adi

By Swathi Thirunal

Pallavi

Geethu thu nu ku tha ka dhim
Na thru thru tha thom
Na chira hu gori
Tham di tham tei tha tei di ra na tha

Panchanada

X	1	2	3	X	V	X	V
Taka	Dimi	Taki	Ta ta	Ka  di	Mi  ta	Kita	Taka
Dimi	Taki	Ta ta	Ka di	Mi ta	Kita	Taka	Dimi
Taka	Dimi	Taka	Dimi	Taka	Dimi	Taki	Ta Ta
Kita	Taki	Ta Ta	Kita	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Ta
Kita	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Ta	Kita	Taka	Dimi
Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Di	Mi Ta	Ka Ta	Kita	Taka
Dimi	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Da na ta	Jo nu ta	Di mi ta	Dim kinatom
Da na ta	Jonuta	Dimita	Dim kin a tom	Dan a ta	Jo nu ta	Dimi ta	Dim kinatom

Anupallavi - I

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu 

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu 

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu  jananu jananu dim

jananu jananu jananu jananu dim

jananu jananu jananu jananu

                                                                                                   -Geethu....

Anupallavi - II

Ganu gave thaka tha tei ta thei

Ganu gave thaka tha tei ta thei

dhim tha dhim tha nathru tha dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

hatha thom hatha thom hatha

                                                                                                                     - Geethu....

Saheethyam

Padmanabha tumhari leela

kya kahom mai savaro 

tapa sankata

caaranaya yayo

shokha maro tumaharo

Charanam

Ta dim ta dim di ta na utha nitha tha ni tha ni

ta dim ta dim dita na

Ta dim ta dim di ta na utha nitha tha ni tha ni

ta dim ta dim dita na

Na thru thom tha ka ta tha ki ri tha tha ra tha ni na thru dhim

alari Alari tha ka tha tham thati tha ga ma 

pa ni tha ka ga tham tham tha dim dim dim

tha ri alari thom thom thom

Tah ka tha ri alari dhim dhim dhim

thaka diku tha ni alari....

                                                                                                               - Geethu

Tharuni njan Endu Cheyvoo lyrics in English and translations

Padam “Tharuni”

Ragam - Dwijavanthi
Thalam – Mishrachappu
Swathithirunal krithi

Pallavi

Tharuni Njan Endu Cheyvoo
Hantha Mamaka Dayithanenne Marannoo…?

Tharuni – beautiful girl
Njan – me
Endu – what
Cheyvoo – shall I do
Hantha – Alas
Mamaka – my
Dayithan – lover
Enne- me
Maranno – forgot

Translation:
Oh Beautiful  girl, what shall I do?
As, alas, my lover, has forgotten me

Anupallavi:

Sarasijathine vellum aananam kanmathum
Sarasa Vachanamrutham kelpathum ennu njan

Sarasija – lotus
Aanam – face
Kanmathu – show
Sarasa – soft
Vachan – word
Amritham – nectar
Kelpathum – to hear
Ennu- when
Njan – me

Translation:

When shall I see his lotus-like face and hear his soft words again?

Charanam – 1

Mandarsharan choriyum sayakangalku
Madumozhi sanghya elle….
Swanthathil ulavakum gedamithaye…
Matha samaja gamane njan aarodu chollendu

Mandarsharan – kamadeva, cupid
Choriyum – gives
Sayakangalku – arrows
Maumozhi – with beautiful face
Samghya – count
Elle – no
Swanthathil – in the mind
Ulavakam – to make
Gedami – sadness
Thaye – sakhi
Matha – craze
Samaja – elephant
Gamane – walk
Njan – me
Aarodu – to whom
Chollendu – can I tell

Translation:
Is there no count to the arrows the cupid is shooting at me, my sweet voiced firend?
Oh the one with elephant-like graceful   gait  (elephant at the breeding season walks very seductively), whom can I tell all of this?

Charanam – 2

Allal ethakhilavum sree padmanabhanodu
Aripodu Nee Chennu Cholle
Allitharshara samanakiyoru kanavan
Allatharenikkavalambam kokilavani

Allal –sad
Ethaki – this
Ilabum – all
Padmanabha – Lord Vishnu’s form
Aripodu – kindly
Nee – you
Chennu – to go
Cholle – say
Allitharshara – kama deva, cupid
Samanakiyoru – same one
Kanavan – lover
Alla – without
Enikka – mine
Alltharenienikavalambham – without him who is my protector
Kokilavani – cockoo bird voice

 Translation
All the sadness I’m suffering, could you go to padmanabha and tell him about it?
Except him, whose face is like the one of the God of Love, who else can be my protector, oh kockoo-like voiced girl ?

Mohananadai Murugan Padam

This item is supposed to be for my arangetram, but this still soooo raw. It took me a while to find a teacher who could give me more or less a translation from Tamil and not just a general idea and then stalk her for several weeks with notebook and pen ready to write. With tamil it’s a problem in Kerala, even though it is a similar language to Malayalm. But the item is  a beautiful piece  of a girl infatuated by Murugan, a heroic and bold son of Siva. She is a devotee, at the same time she is attracted to him like a woman to a man, blushing with every memory of the kisses he shaded on her.

Padam Mohananadai

Ragamalika

Adi Talam

Sloka:

Ragam Shanmukhapriya

Koorvadiveil konda nam perumal varum

Kotathe parunka….. kothayarkal

Aaru mukangalil punjiripum

Eerandaru Bhujangalil adbhuthavum

Ragam mohana

Veeru paranjudal thirumeniyum

Parunka velmizhiyal….

Veeru paranjudal Thirumeniyum

ParunkaMeen Miziyal….

Adbhuthamane azhaganadi

Thuthi anparkalkkarul seyyum

Kalakanadi

Translation:

With a sharp weapon our God is coming

Ah Look at his body, my dear friends!

Six faces are radiating smiles

And twelve hands – what a wonder!

Veera (heroism) is overfilling his body

He is looking with his eyes sharp like a weapon

Veera is overfilling his body

He is looking with his fish-shaped eyes

I have never witnessed such a beauty!

To those meditating on him he gives blessings,

Oh this man full of bliss…

Pallavi:

Ragam – Mohanam

Mohana nadai nadanth

Murukavel vandai

Moha esai padi

Mutha mazhai pozhintai

Translation:

With his beautiful gaint

Murugan is coming

Singing love songs

And showering his kisses on me

Anupallavi:

Daha muthan yenthei tavipi piritte

Tanjaman enne nanja manil annei

Translation:

He is thirsty for (wants) to grasp my hand and pull me with him,

Waiting till no one is here, he encloses me in his embrace

Charanam 1

Ragam Shamukhapriya

Shanmukhanuk skantha pankale

Isainthirith Sakthivel Kumaranum

Bhaktiyay makinthirunthai

Inmayil avan thanda

Uyir sukhamena thenpe

Ullam Pukuntha skandan

Uyirine ondru vital

Translation

The six faced one (Murugan)

Is praised by devotees in happiness

Honestly, he gives me immense pleasure

The pleasure has rooted deep inside my heart

Like our souls (lives) became one

Charanam 2

Ragam Sankarabharanam

Shakha varamarulum shankaran

Thiru makane

Sakala bhuvanangalam stridum arunguhane

Ekanthamudane ennanam edikkuthadi

Enrum avane enni edayam urukuthadi

Translation

Unlimited blessings are given by Siva, whose son he is

The entire world prays to Murugan

When I am alone, in my mind I constantly think of him

My heart is flowing in this sadness, my friend…

Charanam 3

Ragam sarangi

Sree rangamevum Saranga Paniyil

Selva thirumarukan Sringara Velavan

Parengum potrum Parvathiyin balan

Pavaenne kakkum deva guna seelan

Sreerangam (the name of the temple) where the Vishnu is (with a bow in his hand) -

His cousin is Murugan

Everybody praises Parvathi, whose son he is

And I am the girl, whom he blesses, he, who has all the qualities of a deity

Charanam 4

Ragam Madyamavathi

Anpuseivor madyayil aadi varum azagan

Ahantha elathe kandu arul suvai

Tharum kulakan

Impamellam utrum ennuirkkoru thunaivan

En manam nirayanth vital enakkoru kurayumondo

Translation

Among devotees he will appear in all his beauty

Those who show no arrogance, will be blessed by Murugan

And if I give all my love (myself fully) to him,

For In my life he is the only one I love

Will he come and be my protector then?

Panimathi mukhi Bale, Swathi Thirunal Padam lyrics with word to word and literal translation

A very old and beautiful Padam by Swathi Thirunal, maharaja, patron of arts, great devotee of Vishnu, who created a bunch of bittersweet padams about a nayika, heroine, telling her grieves to sakhi, friend. Aparently, the maharaja enjoyed the idea of a young maiden intoxicantingly suffering separation from her lover, what is more, her lover is the Lord Himself -  a strong bhakti touch to compositions. The nayika, tries to please her friend, saying how beautiful and exceptionally great she is, and meanwhile cries her heart out on her shoulder. the palette of emotions,ranging from an unbearable desire to despair and joyful sweet memories of being together with the Hero, makes the Padam more complex than it seems at first. When I was learning it, another teacher was wathching me and later resoluted that Sokha (sadness) is deffinitely my best enacted emotion. Who would doubt :/ ... haha

Panimathi

Swathi Tirunal Padam

Ragam – Aahari

Talam – Misrachappu

Anupallavi

Panimathi Mukhi Bale

Padmanabhaninuennil

Kanivillaykayal Kaman

Parameyunnu

Panimathi – moon

Mukham – face

Panimathimukhi – Moonface

Bale – girl

Padmanabham – one of the names of Vishnu

Innu – Today

Ennil – to me

Kanivu – kindness

Illaykayal – no

Kaman – Kamadeva

Param – too much

Eyunnu – to shoot arrows

Translation

Oh Sakhi (friend), your face shines like the moon. Today Padmanabha is not kind to me, so Kamadeva (Cupid) is shooting his arrows into my heart.

Pallavi

Manasi Dusahamayyo

Madana Kadanamendu

Madirakshi njan Cheyyavoo…

Manasi – mind

Dusaham – unbearable

Ayoo – oh

Madanan – Kamadeva

Kadanam – sad

Endu – what

Madirakshi – girl with beautiful eyes

Njan – I

Cheyyavoo – what shall I do

Translation

My mind can’t bear the pain of love

Oh, Madirakshi, what shall I do?

Charanam – 1

Innu varumen kanthan (varum +en)

Ennanu dunavum njan (ennu + anudinavum)

Dhanye hridi ninanchu

Thanthayayi maruvunnu

Innu –today

Varum – will come/should come

En – my

Kanthan – Lover

Ennu – always

Anudinavim – everyday

Njan – me

Dhanye – Oh great lady

Hridi – heart

Ninachu – thought

Thanthayayimaruvunnu – that’s why I am melancholic

Translation

Every day I expect my lover to come. Oh, great friend, this waiting makes my heart dwell in melancholy

Anna Panadiyilum

Anna Nadayaleme

Nannai Vimukhathayum

Nari Rathname Vannu

---- Manasidusahamayoo….

Annam – food

Panam – drinking water

Adi – etc

Annam (arayannam) – swan

Nada – walk

Nadayale – lady with swan-like gait

May – for me

Nannai too much

Vimukhatha – sadness

Nari – lady

Narirathnam – lady precious like diamond

Rathnam – diamond

Vannu – It came (state of mind)

Translation

Food, drink and other things do not interest me anymore. Oh, precious friend, whose gait is as beautiful as of a swan, in this moment I fell sadness

Charanam – 2

Lokavasikalkellam

Lothaniyanam indu

Shokamenikku mathram

SumukhiTarunnathenthu

Ekanthil ennodu

Sakam Cheytha Leelakal

Aakave mama kantham

Aashu latha maranno

---- Manasidusahamayoo….

Lokam –world

Vasikal – inhabitants

Lohaniyam – is loved

indu – moon

shoka – sad

Enikku – for me

Mathram – only

Enikkumathram – only for me

Sumukhi – a girl with a beautiful face

Tharanathenthy – why is it giving to me’

Ekanthathil – when we were alone

Ennod – for me

Sakam – with me

Cheytha -  did

Leelakal – play

Aakane – all are

Mama – mine

Kantham – lover

Aashu – alas

Batha – fast

Maranno – forgot

Translation

Ah, beautiful friend, all people are enchanted by the moon, only I become sad, looking at it.

At the times when we were alone with Him, He used to play with me (love me), but now, alas, He has forgotten it…

Jathiswaram Chenchurutti (Chenjuruthy) lyrics with Tala

One of the first Kalamandalam item, a simple but beautiful choreography.

Jathiswaram

raagam Chenchurutti

thalam Aadi

Pallavi
x	1	2	3	x	v	x	v
M-G-	-RS-	--N-	-DP-	--D-	SRR-	--S-	-R-G
Anupallavi
x	1	2	3	x	v	x	v
M-MG	-MP-	--MP	-DP-	--MN	-DP-	--MG	-R-G
Charanam - I
x	1	2	3	x	y	x	y
M---	--G-	R-S-	G-R-	M---	--G-	R-S-	-R-G
Charanam II
M---	--MG	MRGS	RGRG	M---	--DP	MPDP	MGMP
M---	--PD	N-DN	DPDP	M—D	PDMP	M—P	MGRG
Charanam III
M—N	DPMG	M—D	PMGR	M—P	MGRG	M—G	RSRG
M-GR	M-RG	M-DP	M-PD	M-ND	DPDP	MPDP	MGRG