Hindu Temple of Central Illinois
Peoria, IL Proudly Presents
Mohini Basmasura
A Kuchipudi Dance Ballet
By
Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Kuchipudi Natya Kalakshetram (India)
on Saturday October 13th, 2007 at 6:30 – 8:00 PM
at Temple Auditorium
Mohini-Bhasmasura is a beautiful story that tells how Mohini uses her charm to save Lord Shiva from Bhasmasura, a terrible demon. Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Kuchipudi Natya Kalakshetram of Hyderabad, India presents this epic story as a dance ballet in Kuchipudi style. Mohini is a female incarnation of the great preserver-god Vishnu. Lord Vishnu's role in the cosmos is as the preserver of form and of balance. To meet his goals he frequently takes on fleshly form, often (but not always) human. While incarnate he retains his divine powers, but cannot be recognized by mortal eyes. His more prominent incarnations include Krishna, a central figure of Hindu belief, featured in India's epic Mahabharata and Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Mohini is special, though, in that she is a male god in female flesh.
Scene 1
Bhasmasura, a king of demons (Asuras), whose actual name is Vrikasura, has a desire to control the entire world. One day Narada comes to his palace on his way to Kailasa. Bhasmasura asks him how to control the globe. Narada suggests him to do penance and get a boon from Lord Shiva that will help him get the power to control the world.
Scene 2
While Bhasmasura does his penance to Lord Shiva, Shiva and Parvathi dance in Kailasam in the presence of their devotees. Shiva and Parvathi enjoy dancing while the devotees praise Lord Shiva. It is then that Lord Shiva hears Bhasmasura’s call for him and tells Parvathi that he will see to his wishes and return to Kailasam.
Scene 3
Bhasmasura starts his penance to please Lord Shiva. By performing admirable ascetic sacrifices, Bhasmasura wins the favor of Shiva who appears in front of him and asks him what he wants.
He prays for Lord Shiva to grant him a boon that would give him the power to turn anybody into ashes the moment he lays his hands on their head. Pleased, Shiva grants him the boon. Intoxicated with this new found power, Bhasmasura wants to test the boon on Shiva to see if it really works. So he asks Shiva, the very giver of the boon, to come close by so that he can lay his hand on his head. Lord Shiva starts to escape from his attack and Bhasmasura chases him.
Scene 4
Lord Shiva goes in search of a place to hide from Bhasmasura. Thinking he has escaped, he hears Bhasmasura calling him. Lord Shiva realizes that only Lord Vishnu can help him escape.
Scene 5
As Lord Shiva is on his way to Vaikunta, Lord Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi blissfully dance together. Lord Shiva convinces Lord Vishnu to intervene and destroy Bhasmasura. Lord Vishnu agrees and assumes the form of a beautiful dancer called Mohini and waits for Bhasmasura who comes chasing after Shiva.
Scene 6
Bhasmasura sees Mohini and is taken with Mohini’s charm and beauty and asks her to marry him. Mohini convinces him to dance and mimic every move that she makes during an alluring dance in order to marry and win her. Enchanted by her beauty, Bhasmasura agrees and starts dancing along with Mohini. In the course of gestures and postures, Mohini suddenly puts her hand on her head and Bhasmasura, who is distracted by her beauty and grace, does the same thing. The moment Bhasmasura places his hand on his head he gets burnt and dies due to his own boon thus saving Lord Shiva and the rest of the world.
Scene 7
Lord Shiva and Narada with devotees come to Lord Vishnu and praise him.
