Gopika Varma

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In this Indian name, the name Varma is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Gopika.
Gopika Varma
Gopika Varma.jpg
Born
Gopika Gopal[1]

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
NationalityIndian
OccupationDancer, Dance teacher
Known forIndian Classical Dance/ Mohiniyattam
Spouse(s)Marthanda Varma
AwardsSangeet Natak Akademi Award
Kalaimamani

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 and Kalaimamani.

Biography[]

Born and raised in Thiruvananthapuram,[2] Gopika Varma migrated to Chennai from Kerala in 1995.[3] She started learning dance at the age of three, from her mother.[4] 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.[5] Gopika learned the Abhinaya (acting) part of Mohiniyattam from Kathakali exponent Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair.[6] She also studied Bharathanatyam under Vazhiyur Ramayyar Pillai, for 18 years.[1]

Although her guru was Kalyanikutty Amma, Gopika Varma follows her own style in Mohiniyattam.[1] She has also performed Mohiniyattam in Sopana style under Kavalam Narayana Panicker.[1] She runs a Mohiniyattam Dance School in Adyar, Chennai under the name "Dasyam".[5]

Personal life[]

Gopika Varma is married into the Travancore royal family, to Poorurttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma, descendent of Travancore king Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma.[5] Other than running a dance school, she runs a shelter home for the physically challenged and a textile unit for their work.[7] She lives in her house Ramalayam in Adyar, Chennai.

Notable dance performances[]

Gopika choreographed and performed dance named Ayonija Panchakanyaka, about five unborn virgins in Indian mythology.[1] She has performed the poem Radhayevide wriiten by Sugathakumari and composed by M. Jayachandran, in Mohiniyattam form.[1] Yamini Reddy, Kritika Subramaniam, Gopika Varma and Suhasini together choreographed and performed the dance named Antaram.[8] Chayamukhi is another dance performance she did.[3] 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.[9] She is now doing a dance composition based on Shankaracharya's life.[10]

Awards and honors[]

  • Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2018[11]
  • Kalaimamani 2004[12] She is the fist dancer to receive Kaimamani for Mohiniyattam.[3]
  • Nritya Choodamani Award 2010 from Krishna Gana Sabha[5]
  • Abhinaya Kala Ratna Excellence Award[13]
  • Sathya Abhinaya Sundaram 2007[13]
  • Kaladarpanam Award 2003[13]
  • Yuva Kala Bharathi award by Bharat Kalachar 2001. She is the first Mohiniyattam dancer to receive this award.[14]
  • Outstanding Performance Award by the House of Commons – London 2003[15]
  • Satya Abinaya Sundaram[7]
  • Natya Kala Vipanchee[7]
  • Rajakeeya Puraskaram[7]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "ഗോപികാ വസന്തം". Janmabhumi.
  2. ^ "Teacher's pride,performer's envy". The New Indian Express.
  3. ^ a b c ശശിധരന്‍, ശബ്‌ന. "മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തെ സ്വന്തം പ്രാണനോടൊപ്പം ചേര്‍ത്ത് വ���്ക്കുന്നവര്‍". Mathrubhumi.
  4. ^ Kumar, Ranee (23 August 2019). "Mohiniattam dancer Gopika Varma's crowning glory". The Hindu.
  5. ^ a b c d "GOPIKA VARMA - www.artindia.net - Indian classical performing arts". www.artindia.net.
  6. ^ "'Sway Like the Green Fields of Kerala'". The New Indian Express.
  7. ^ a b c d Ganesh, Agila (24 June 2018). "The art of dance". Deccan Chronicle.
  8. ^ "നാലു ഗോപികമാരുടെ അന്തരം രൂപാന്തരം". ManoramaOnline.
  9. ^ "I want to spread joy through dance: Gopika Varma | Deccan Chronicle". Deccan Chronicle. 10 April 2012.
  10. ^ "Philosophy on stage: when a Mohiniyattam exponent read Shankaracharya". OnManorama.
  11. ^ Kumar, Ranee (1 August 2019). "Gopika Varma bags the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Mohiniyattam dance". The Hindu.
  12. ^ Varma, Dr Anjana. "Gopika Varma speaks about transforming hurt to motivation". Mathrubhumi.
  13. ^ a b c "Gopika Varma | The Raza Foundation". www.therazafoundation.org.
  14. ^ "NAFO KALALAYAM – Nafoglobal Kuwait".
  15. ^ "Dance festival opens with Mohiniyattam". Hindustan Times. 23 August 2014.
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