Mandakini Trivedi

🪔 About

Mandakini Trivedi is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, born on January 13, 1956, in Visnagar, Gujarat, India. She is primarily recognized for her profound contributions to Mohiniyattam. Trivedi received her initial training in Mohiniyattam under the tutelage of Dr. Kanak Rele at the Nalanda Nritya Maha Vidyalaya. Her pursuit of the art form led her to further refine her skills under eminent gurus such as Kalyanikuti Amma, Kalamandalam Satyabhama, and Kalamandalam Leelamma. Beyond Mohiniyattam, Mandakini Trivedi is also a proficient Bharatanatyam dancer, holding a post-graduation in the genre. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Mumbai University. Her academic career includes serving as a professor of Indian Dance at Nalanda Nrityakala Mahavidyalaya for twelve years, initially as a part-time lecturer from 1978 to 1984, and then full-time from 1984 to 1990. She also contributed to the arts community as a curator for the Kalan Ghoda Arts Festival in 2007 and 2008. Trivedi's artistic philosophy centers on understanding Indian dance as a form of yoga, deeply rooted in subtle yogic principles, a vision she attributes to her spiritual mentor, Swami Sri Harish Madhukar. She has authored three books, "The Yoga of Indian Dance," "Sutras on Dance," and "Ananda Yoga," and co-authored "Nepathya - Behind the Curtain," alongside numerous articles on dance for national publications. Mandakini Trivedi has performed extensively at prestigious dance festivals both within India and internationally, including the Rain Drop Festival, Konark Festival, Khajuraho Festival, Kalidas Samaroh, 50th Swami Hari Das Sangeet Sammelan, Nritya Sangam, and Yog Parv. She has also conducted numerous lecture-demonstrations and presented papers on Mohiniyattam, sharing her insights into the art form. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2015), Central Government Junior Fellowship (Ministry of Culture, Government of India).