‘Aadu pambe punam thedu pambeyaru-

Lananda koothu kandaadu pambe…’

Thus begins the famed poem, ‘Kundalini Paattu’ (The Song of the Kundalini) composed by Sree Narayana Guru. No one knows the date of the composition. It is said that in earlier times, this poem was known as ‘Pambatti Chinthu’ (The snake charmer’s song).

In this poem, Guru talks of the principle of ‘Kundalini,’ the primal energy situated at the base of the spine. This energy can be awakened through the systems of yoga and it is believed that one can experience presence of the divine through this awakening. Like his other compositions, Guru has employed simple Malayalam instead of the hefty Sanskrit language that was the usual means of discussing philosophy then. Thus, the poem is accessible even to the interested layman.

While the poem has been rendered by many singers, in many forms, there have been only a few attempts to present it as a dance form. That too, in Mohiniyattam.

“Mohiniyattam is more or less associated only with sringara. I, however, have always wanted to explore the realms of bhakti and the divine principles through dance form,” says Nirmala Paniker, an eminent guru of Mohiniyattam. “That’s why I decided to bring ‘Kundalini Pattu,’ into Mohiniyattam format.”

It was the late Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati who first suggested choreographing ‘Kundalini Pattu.’ “At that point in time, I did not know how to go about it. I began working on ‘Kundalini Pattu’ around two to three years ago,” she says.

The poem has 44 lines, set in couplets. Nirmala has selected only a few couplets out of the whole poem. “Even then, the composition lasts for around half an hour.”

Awakening the Kundalini in one’s body is the underlying message of the item. According to the concept, the primal energy lies coiled up like a snake and slowly rises up from that position to enter the spine. “This dance piece is also a part of my spiritual seeking,” says Nirmala, who had been trying to blend the aspects of bhakti and divinity into Mohiniyattam. She has also re-created many of the lost items from the traditional repertory of Mohiniyattam like ‘Mookuthy’ (nosepin). Nirmala has transformed ‘Mookuthy’, once known as a sensual piece into a spiritual one, as she portrays the search for the nosepin as the search for the self.

Sandra Pisharody   | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Sandra Pisharody, a senior disciple of Nirmala’s at Natanakaisiki, Irinjalakuda, and an up-and-coming danseuse, will perform ‘Kundalini Pattu’. The piece has been choreographed as a solo performance. The composition is set in ragamalika and talamalika. Music is composed by Neelamperoor Suresh Kumar.

The premièring of ‘Kundalini Pattu,’ will be held at Palakkad on December 30. The programme is organised by Swaralaya, Palakkad.