The concept of a divine enchantress is one that is found in various mythologies and folklore across different cultures. The term refers to a female deity or supernatural being who possesses the power to mesmerize and seduce others through her enchanting beauty, grace, and mystical abilities. In many mythological tales, the divine enchantress is portrayed as an alluring and captivating figure, often depicted with a bewitching aura and irresistible charm. She is believed to possess the ability to cast spells or use her powers of seduction to manipulate and control others. These enchantresses are seen as otherworldly beings, often associated with elements such as love, beauty, and magic. One well-known example of a divine enchantress is the Greek mythological figure of Circe.

Story of Mohini – the divine enchantress

Long ago, the mountain Vindhya (central India) started growing upward in gigantic proportion due to egoism. The sage Agastya decided to subdue the pride of Vindhya. For this purpose, he came from Varanasi (Uttara Pradesh, India) and settled in South India. By the divine presence of the sage Agastya, the entire South India gradually became prosperous and pious.

Eventually the Kali Yuga started (As per the tradition of India, Kali Yuga is the fourth Age, the others being Kruta, Treta and Dvapara). In spite of the severe inspection of the sage Agastya, the evil traits of the Kali Yuga started sprouting slowly. Noting this trend, the sage felt sad and proceeded on a pilgrimage. The strange and unrighteous ways of the people made him quite unhappy. There was rampant selfishness and sensuousness prevalent everywhere. “How can these people attain liberation?” – This was his nagging grief.

After reaching Kanchi (Tamil Nadu – South India) he was unable to bear the burden of the grief, and performed severe penance meditating on Varadaraja (The Best of the boon givers – a synonym of Vishnu). God’s ways are mysterious! His power of illusion is incomprehensible! Vishnu appeared to the sage in the form of Hayagreeva. Agastya asked Hayagreeva “Oh Lord! What is the path of salvation for these ignorant people”?

Hayagreeva replied “There are two paths for this. They are:

a) After renouncing everything, one can attain the knowledge of the attributeless aspect of God. This is a very difficult way.

b) The second method is to worship the Divine Mother who is the form of Vishnu with attributes. Even a sinner can do the worship. There is another advantage in this type. The devotee can simultaneously get enjoyment and salvation by following this path”.

Further, Vishnu ordered to the sage Agastya “You have to propagate this divine secret in the entire world”.

The sage asked, “Lord Vishnu! Kindly narrate the story of Para Shakti (The Ultimate Power, the Divine Mother) who is your aspect with attributes”. At this stage, Vishnu asked sage Hayagreeva (born with the Lord’s aspects) to tell the detailed story to Agastya.

The Divine Mother emanated from meditation of Brahma (the Creator). Her name then was Prakruti (The nature).

Mohini Avatara

For the second time, the Divine Mother manifested as Mohini at the time of the churning of the ocean by the celestials and the demons (to obtain Amruta-nectar). Let us see how it happened.

Once upon a time, Indra (the Lord of the Heaven) was overpowered by the pride of his prosperity. His reverence to even Shiva gradually diminished. Observing this, Shiva asked the sage Durvasa to meet Indra in the Heaven. The sage started taking the path of Gandharvas (the celestial singers), which was very beautiful. The sage appeared uglier than a beggar. Anyway he proceeded ahead pompously. On the way the sage saw a celestial lady holding a fragrant garland of divine flowers. The ugly looking sage asked the beautiful lady, “Where did you get this garland”? She observed him keenly and realised that he was a sage. She prostrated to him and replied humbly “Sir! I am just now returning after doing the worship of the Divine Mother, who manifested and gave me this garland as Prasadam”. Jumping joyously, the sage asked her to give the garland to him. She happily handed it over to the sage and, prostrated to him. The sage blessed her “May your devotion to the Divine mother be firm”. Taking leave of the sage, she went away.

Mohini seduces the sages. Mohini is depicted nude, adorned with garlands and ornaments, holding a lotus and a parrot, leaning on a stick.

By this incident, the sage realised that it was not difficult for others to recognise him, even if he was ugly in appearance. He was satisfied with this thought and proceeded further. After a while, he saw Indra riding the elephant Iravata. The sage approached Indra, who did not appear to recognise and prostrate to the sage. However, the sage did not get angry and said, “Indra! This is the garland given by the Divine Mother Herself. Take it. Saying so, the sage presented the garland to Indra.

Indra didn’t refuse. He received the garland with disgust and threw the same on the head of the elephant, which proceeded ahead. A little later, the elephant threw down the garland with its trunk and trampled over it. Looking at this, the sage Durvasa became very furious and cursed Indra, “Oh! Egoistic fellow! You have not recognised me. Not only that. You have not even respected the Prasadam of the Divine mother. Due to this, May your prosperity vanish!”

With these words, Indra’s pride was humbled. He got down from the elephant and prostrated to the feet of the angry sage Durvasa. However, the sage went away silently. Then Indra’s troubles started one by one. He saw bad omens in the Heaven. Afraid of them, Indra asked the sage Bruhaspati (the Spiritual Master of the celestials) to reveal the cause of the bad omens. The sage replied, “The effect of your sins follows you as a shadow.”

Saying so, the sage narrated a fine story.

Long ago, there was a thief by the name of Vajra in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu, South India). He used to steal small things and gradually amassed a large quantum of money. As the wealth accumulated considerably, he wanted to hide it safely and went to the nearby forest to do so. In a dense part of the forest, he dug a deep pit and secured the money therein. However, a hunter by the name of Veeradanta, sitting on a tall tree observed all this, quite unexpectedly. After the thief had left the place, the hunter dug out the pit and after taking only one tenth of the money, he covered the pit, without causing any doubt to anyone. The hunter’s wife saw the money and knowing how her husband got it, she said, “It is customary that many Brahmanas visit the home of my parents. Whenever they saw me, they used to forecast “You will get rich quite suddenly. Their prediction has come true now”.

The hunter Veeradanta planned to purchase meat and wine with the money. However his wife said, “The Brahmana visitors of my parents’ home used to tell something more. They cautioned that hard-earned money only will give durable enjoyment and that the easy money was sinful. Hence let us use this unexpected and unearned money for charities. After prolonged discussions, the wife’s opinion won.

Then Veeradanta selected a place of water scarcity and arranged the digging of a big water tank for public use. While the work was in progress, further plans were made and accordingly, he started the construction of temples for Vishnu and Shiva by the side of the tank.

When the projects were half way, the money was exhausted. Hence Veeradanta started spying like a detective to find out the several places at which the thief Vajra was hiding the stolen wealth. Without causing any doubt to the thief, the hunter used to take out money little by little from the pits and continued the construction without interruptions. Along with this, he started to donate the money. However the hunter did not use the money for himself or his family. Thus, constantly encouraged by his wife, his charities developed. The Brahmanas of Kanchi were glad and gave the titles “Dvijavarma” and “Shilavati” to the hunter and his wife. These titles eventually became their names in vogue.

Some time later, the hunter planned and constructed a city. Instead of giving it his own name, the hunter named it as “Devaratapura”, as a mark of respect to his guru “Devarata”. After a few years, the hunter and his wife died at the same time. The messengers of Yama (The God of death and the Lord of Hell), and Shiva and Vishnu arrived to take away the Jivas (the subtle form of life of the dead). Their debate as to who can take the Jivas could not be settled.

At that time, the sage Narada arrived there. He asked the three groups of messengers to stop the arguments and revealed another aspect of the code of righteousness thus, “The hunter has performed the deeds of merit (Punya) like charities, with the money stolen by him. Hence as per the rules of righteousness, he must move about in the form of a ghost until the death of all the owners of the stolen wealth. Hence none of you have the right to take away the Jiva.

“Next, his wife was great. She didn’t commit any sin. As she was a devotee of Shiva, the messengers of the Lord can take away her Jiva.”

Listening to this ruling, Shilavati’s Jiva sat down obstinately, saying “I won’t go to Kailasha, the abode of Shiva, leaving my husband in the form of a ghost”. She prayed to the sage Narada, “Sir! Kindly direct me what I have to do to unburden my husband’s sins”.

Narada was very much pleased with her chastity and fidelity and gave initiation of Shiva mantra (chant) to her. By her penance, the husband and wife attained the grace of Shiva and were accepted to stay in Kailasha (Shiva’s abode).

Sometime later, the thief Vajra and the persons from whom he stole the money died. All the Jivas reached the Hell, the abode of Yama, the god of death, He asked all of them to assemble and said, “Though you did not intend to do the acts of Punya (merit), they were performed with your money. Hence you are eligible to stay in Kailasha (abode of Shiva) for some time. Hence I ask you whether you choose to experience either the effect of Punya (merit) or Papa (sin) in the first instance. They replied in chorus “we opt to experience the effect of merit first. By doing so, we will have a chance of association with the pious which in turn will wipe out past sins”. Yama felt glad by their choice and sent them all as the attendants of Dvijavarma at Kailasha. By his good association, all their sins were washed off and they settled in Kailasha happily.

Preaching of Bruhaspati

After narrating the story, Bruhaspati said, “Indra! Now you think of your sins”. Indra once again prostrated to the sage and requested. “Sir! I am unable to realise my sins. Kindly give me details”. Bruhaspati replied “In the distant past, ‘Diti’, the second wife of Kashyapa gave birth to a son by name Danu and a daughter named Rupavati. Danu is the predecessor of the race of Danavas (demons). Rupavati was married to Brahma (the Creator). Her son was Vishwarupa. He did severe penance. He had many divine aspects. However he was a nephew of the demons. He was affectionate towards both the races – the celestials and the demons. After a while, Indra chose Vishwarupa as his Guru (at that time, Bruhaspati was not the Guru of the celestials). Indra expected that Vishwarupa would be partial towards the celestials and that he would destroy the demons. However Vishwarupa was friendly towards all.

Observing this, Indra suspected that being a friend of the demons, Vishwarupa was harming the celestials. One day, Indra suddenly went to Vishwarupa and cut off all his three heads. By doing so, Indra was afflicted by the sin of Brahmahatya (killing Brahmana). Not only that. Aggrieved by the death of His son, Brahma (the Creator) cursed Indra. Terrified by these two (Brahmahatya and curse of Brahma), Indra accompanied by all the celestials, sought refuge at the feet of Vishnu, who contemplated deeply and allocated the effect of Indra’s sins to the earth, the trees and the women.

As compensation, Vishnu gave the power that the pits of earth could be filled up, the power that even the trees once cut off could revive and the power of women to beget children. Thus Indra was relieved of the effect of the sin of Brahmahatya (killing a Brahmin). However, the curse of Brahma (the Creator) still persisted. Vishnu called for Brahma and requested Him on behalf of Indra for relief from the curse. Brahma thought over the same and the divine enchantress said, “OK. For the present my curse won’t take effect”. Vishnu said nothing.

Again Indra became prosperous. However, very soon his pride increased. This time, Indra was affected by the anger of Shiva and so he was cursed by the sage Durvasa.

Listening to all this, Indra recollected the past events and sadly asked Bruhaspati “Master! What have I to do now”? When the guru was about to reply, a demon named Malaka invaded the Heaven with a huge army and seized the kingdom. Indra had to escape in a great hurry. He went straight to Brahma and prayed to Him for mercy, who also pitied Indra. However even the Creator could not decide what to do and approached Vishnu along with Indra and the celestials.

Vishnu thought of the problem deeply and advised them, “You churn the ocean to get the Goddess of prosperity”. For this purpose, Indra made reconciliation with the demons and taking their help, he and the celestials churned the ocean. During the churning, very valuable things emanated from the ocean. At last, Dhanvantari (the God of Healing) came out holding the pot of Amruta (nectar). Looking at him, the demons grabbed the pot and started running away with it.

A bitter battle started between the celestials and the demons. There was utter confusion. Even Brahma and Shiva escaped and reached their abodes. Observing all this, Vishnu went to a secluded spot and started meditation of Sri Lalita Devi, who dwells within Him as the aspect of power. Due to this meditation he manifested as a form of Lalita Devi. Taking this incarnation as an embodiment of eroticism, Vishnu approached the celestials and demons. The celestials could realise the form as divine and auspicious. However, due to their predominating trait of Tamas (ignorance), the demons were enchanted by the beauty of the form and stopped fighting. She mesmerised them and took the pot of Amruta (nectar) from them, taking their consent to her to serve the nectar to all.

She asked the celestials and the demons to sit in separate rows. She started to give the nectar to the celestials only first. Allured by her, the demons sat still stupefied. By the time the nectar was given to the celestials, the stock exhausted. She disappeared suddenly.

The demons again started to fight with the celestials. However as the celestials had already drunk the nectar by then, the demons were defeated.

Thus, the Divine Mother who manifested and enchanted the demons was called MOHINI (the divine enchantress).

Shiva, staying in Kailasha came to know of these events and wanted to note the specialty of the new form of Vishnu. Along with his consort Parvati, Shiva went to Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu and pressed Him to show the form of Mohini. Vishnu suddenly disappeared without saying yes or no. While Shiva was searching for Vishnu, he happened to reach a new place where he continued to search. There he heard the music of Veena. He saw a beautiful young lady. Unable to resist his infatuation, Shiva embraced her. At once a son was born. He was named SASTA (one who rules). He became a commander in Shiva’s army. At once the lady disappeared. Shiva realised that she was none else than Mohini, a form of Vishnu. He applauded her beauty and returned to Kailasha along with Parvati.

Thus the Divine Mother incarnated as Mohini and granted success of the activities of the celestials.

Excerpt from: Brahmanda Purana

Mohini – The Divine Enchantress by Seema Harikumar

In Hindu mythology, Mohini is depicted as a femme fatale who uses mysticism and charm to distract and suppress her opponents. At the same time, we also see how she enters into a union with Lord Shiva – transcending gender norms – to produce Harihara.

Hindu mythology uses gender as a vehicle to communicate metaphysical concepts of material and spiritual reality. This production presents instances of Mohini’s appearances in mythology to understand why Vishnu (the embodiment of spiritual reality) comes ‘wrapped’ in material reality.

Who is Mohini and what does she represent?Developed with a narrative executed by Indian puppetry, the dance theatre will bring a unique flavour to the audience !

About the Artiste:

Seema Hari Kumar is a senior disciple of Smt Neila Sathyalingam and has evolved from a student to a performer-teacher over the last 25 years. Apart from taking to the global stages through various dance stints in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa, Seema has also played key roles in Apsaras Arts’ productions like Chidambara Ragasyam, Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma, Nirmanika, Aalam and Aarupadai to name a few. In 2011, Seema collaborated with a Sheejith & Parvathy from India to stage a full-length thematic production ‘Dvayam’ at the Esplanade Theatre Studio.

As a versatile artiste, Seema has also been featured as narrator in live dance-theatre productions like Agathi, Sivagami and Sangamam. She has also assisted in the mentorship and choreography of schools during the Singapore Youth Festivals and on Vasantham’s “Salangai Oli” programme. Given her natural flair with kids, Seema has been teaching since 2003 and was instrumental in launching the Bala Bharatham curriculum at Apsaras Arts. She is the first recipient of the Neila Sathyalingam Memorial Award (2019) and the Bharathaa Arts Achievement Award (2018).

An Initiative of DIAP 2019:

Mohini: The Divine Enchantress is a dance-theatre developed at the Residency Programme launched during Dance India Asia Pacific 2018. Under the artistic mentorship of Smt Priyadarsini Govind and Smt Anjana Anand, Seema has undergone a rigorous training process in conceptualisation, choreography and script development since Sep 2018.

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One well-known example of a divine enchantress is the Greek mythological figure of Circe. In Greek literature, Circe is portrayed as a sorceress with the power to turn men into animals with a single touch. She uses her enchanting beauty and magical skills to lure sailors to her island and transform them into swine.

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Address: Block D #01-24 90 Goodman Road Singapore 439053 | Email: [email protected]
© 2018 Apsaras Arts Indian Premier Dance Company. All Rights Reserved.

T Ramanan started learning mridangam at the age of 12 from the late Sri R Thangavelu of Kuala Lumpur. In 1981, he joined the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society and studied under the loving care of Sri Karaikudi R Krishnamurthy. Ramanan passed his mridangam final examination conducted by the Society in June 1984 with distinction and was awarded a certificate of merit. This was followed by his arrangetram during Sri T V Sankaranarayanan’s concert in July 1984.
Ramanan has been performing regularly since 1981 and has accompanied many accomplished musicians and dancers, both locally and abroad. To date, he has provided mridangam accompaniment for more than 350 Bharatanatyam arangetrams.

Shivangi started her Kathak journey under the tutelage of guru Dr. Sadhana Naphde in Nagpur, India. She reached her first milestone when she was awarded a National Scholarship in the field of Kathak by Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India and received intensive training under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Shama Bhate. Over the years, Shivangi has had the privilege to learn from the legend, Padmavibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj, in numerous workshops and she has also been a part of Maharajji’s various choreographies for live performances and television. She has successfully completed her Visharad and Alankar in Kathak from Gandharva Mahavidyala and Master of Fine Arts (specialisation in Kathak). She is the recipient of various awards such as,”Nritya Kala Praveena” by Samskar Bharati, Hyderabad, “Nritya Shri” by Kiran Sanstha, Katni, M.P, Winner of National level Inter University Youth Festival of India for 2 consecutive years, “Nritya Kala Nipun” by Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Mumbai, ” Pt.V D Paluskar Award ” winner by Sharada Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai. She has given numerous solo performances in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Reunion Islands, Japan & USA. Shivangi is passionate about imparting her art to young and old alike instilling them a love for beauty, grace and excellence.

Mohanapriyan Thavarajah has been the Resident Choreographer and Principal Dancer with Apsaras Arts since 2012.

Originally from Batticaloa, Srilanka, he has completed his Bachelors & Masters in Fine Arts (2005-2012) at) at Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, affiliate of Bharthidasan University, India under the tutelage of Ogeswari Shanmuganathan (Alumni of Kalakshetra Foundation, and has earned his MPhil (2014-2016) from Tanjavur Tamil University, India. His MPhil dissertation researched Cambodia’s Angkor Wat from a dancer’s perspective. A book on this is currently in the midst of being published. He is currently pursuing his PhD on the study of the influence of the roots of Indian culture and religion in Indonesian & Thai dance forms. Besides being a Bharatanatyam practitioner and researcher, he has also been trained in Kuchipudi under the tutelage of Kishore Mosalikanti. Today, he is being mentored by the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Priyadarshini Govind.

Since 2007, Mohanapriyan has received numerous awards and titles such as “Narthana Vithakan” and “Bharatha Kala Mani” for his performance proficiency in Bharatanatyam from various organisations in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. He has received significant critical acclaim for his imaginative and innovative choreography for both his ensemble and solo work that bring together the traditional vocabulary of the tenants of Bharatanatyam while retaining a vitalized interpretation and relevance to modern audiences. His in-depth research and deep understanding of South East Asian dance traditions has also made him a gifted & comprehensive designer of production costumes, headgear, jewelry and makeup. His deep aesthetic sense and creative knowledge in craft and design has enabled him to create spellbinding visual spectacles for many Apsaras Arts productions. Mohanapriyan has presented many dance research topics at seminars and workshops and is a well-regarded mentor and sought-after teacher for many young & upcoming dancers in France, USA, India and Singapore.

Vijaya Nadesan has been a senior student and performer of Apsaras Art for the past 30 years and now specializes in Arts Education programs for schools. She started her formal Bharatanatyam training in 1987 under the tutelage of the Cultural Medallion Recipient, Mrs. Neila Sathyalingam. During her two decades of dancing, she has performed with People’s Association (1990-2000) and have gained experiences in Multi Ethnic, Folk and Contemporary dance forms. Her Arangetram in 1999 was a culmination of her varied experiences in ensemble work. She has been part of many travelling dance productions overseas – China, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India representing Singapore’s multi-ethnic dances. Today, she is overall in-charge of overseas productions and overseas project financing, vendor management, logistic and rehearsal scheduling. Over the decades, she has developed coaching and mentoring skills of varied Indian dance forms in schools and has helped schools achieve awards for schools at the Singapore Youth Festival. She has also cultivated a keen interest in teaching the traditional dance form to non-indian dancers in schools. Her teaching method involves interacting closely with students and meticulously creating structured learning techniques for her students which has helped her create innovative choreography.

Seema Hari Kumar began her journey in dance at the age of eight under the tutelage of Mrs Neila Sathyalingam and has been a teaching faculty member for over 17 years. She has performed in over 15 National Day Parades and Chingay Processions under the banner of the People’s Association and has collaborated on various national-level events with the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Dance Ensemble (SMEDE). Besides being on the dance ensemble of all Apsaras Arts’ local productions such as Aarupadai, Aalam, Nirmanika, Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma etc. since 2001, Seema has also taken the global stage with the Company at international arts festivals in Australia, Bali, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Liverpool and Vietnam. Apart from performing, Seema has also expanded her portfolio to include choreography and teaching. She has assisted in the choreography and mentoring of schools during the Singapore Youth Festivals in 2004-2006. In 2011, she was also identified as a mentor-choreographer on Vasantham Central’s “Salangai Oli” programme where she mentored and choreographed the items performed by the finalist in the competition. Besides her dance career, Seema majored in Political Science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from National University of Singapore in 2006 and works in the events management industry.

Shivangi started her Kathak journey under the tutelage of guru Dr. Sadhana Naphde in Nagpur, India. She reached her first milestone when she was awarded a National Scholarship in the field of Kathak by Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India and received intensive training under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Shama Bhate. Over the years, Shivangi has had the privilege to learn from the legend, Padmavibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj, in numerous workshops and she has also been a part of Maharajji’s various choreographies for live performances and television. She has successfully completed her Visharad and Alankar in Kathak from Gandharva Mahavidyala and Master of Fine Arts (specialisation in Kathak). She is the recipient of various awards such as,”Nritya Kala Praveena” by Samskar Bharati, Hyderabad, “Nritya Shri” by Kiran Sanstha, Katni, M.P, Winner of National level Inter University Youth Festival of India for 2 consecutive years, “Nritya Kala Nipun” by Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Mumbai, ” Pt.V D Paluskar Award ” winner by Sharada Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai. She has given numerous solo performances in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Reunion Islands, Japan & USA. Shivangi is passionate about imparting her art to young and old alike instilling them a love for beauty, grace and excellence.

Soumee De is a dancer, teacher and choreographer who has been training in Indian Classical dance forms- Kathak and Odissi, since the age of four. Soumee is a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra at Srjan, Bhubaneswar, India and currently an Odissi faculty at Apsaras Arts, Singapore. She is a co-founder of “Ethos -Exploring the Odissi Spirit,” a community of Odissi dancers in Singapore and recently hosted a series of Odissi related educational webcasts “ODE” featuring global scholars, dancers and teachers for holistic learning of dancers. She is the editor of Aavartana monthly newsletter published by Apsaras Arts and actively blogs in social media as a dance reviewer with the vision of growing the growing its appreciation beyond the boundaries of communities, borders, generations. Soumee also offers “Dance-telling” programs at The Artground and volunteers as a “Balvikas” teacher at Temple of Fine Arts for preschool young children. Among the recent performances, she was featured as a solo artiste at the Dance India Asia Pacific showcase by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay; performed in a new collaborative work “Kanna Va” by IndianRaga and Apsaras Arts in September 2020; conducted a workshop on “Ramayana through Odissi and Puppetry” at the Digital Culture festival by Indian Heritage Center; staged her new choreography “Ritu Ranga” at the Artwalk Little India Festival in January 2020-2019; “River Ramble” at the Stamford Arts Center opening by NAC in 2019; “Phenomenal Women” on International Women’s Day at The American Club and performed a full length solo repertoire at “Tribhanga” in the Darshana Intimate Dance Series by Apsaras Arts. She is an Economics graduate, completed an MBA in Human Resources and works as a management consultant to create a “better working world.”

Gayathri Chachithanandar holds a First class – Post graduate Diploma from Kalakshetra Foundation where she graduated as the “Best Overall Student” in both Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal disciplines in 2009. Hailing from Srilanka, she gained her initial training with Smt. Haridevi Jayasundara school of Fine Arts and North Ceylon Oriental Music Society. She also underwent advanced Bharatanatyam training under the tutelage of Sri. Sheejith Krishna, co-founder of Sahrdaya Foundation, Chennai, India.

As an accomplished teacher of 10 years, Gayathri has taught at Sahrdaya Foundation and at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). As a performer, she has performed all over the world, both solo and as part of ensemble productions in India, Srilanka, Singapore, Mauritius and Reunion Islands. Apart from Bharatanatyam, Gayathri’s excellent qualifications in Carnatic Vocals, Mridangam and Nattuvangam have made her unique teacher, able to impart not only the knowledge of the divine dance form but also teach the other building components of Dance, such as Music, Culture and Language.

Soumee De is a dancer, teacher and choreographer who has been training in Indian Classical dance forms- Kathak and Odissi, since the age of four. Soumee is a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra at Srjan, Bhubaneswar, India and currently an Odissi faculty at Apsaras Arts, Singapore. She is a co-founder of “Ethos -Exploring the Odissi Spirit,” a community of Odissi dancers in Singapore and recently hosted a series of Odissi related educational webcasts “ODE” featuring global scholars, dancers and teachers for holistic learning of dancers. She is the editor of Aavartana monthly newsletter published by Apsaras Arts and actively blogs in social media as a dance reviewer with the vision of growing the growing its appreciation beyond the boundaries of communities, borders, generations. Soumee also offers “Dance-telling” programs at The Artground and volunteers as a “Balvikas” teacher at Temple of Fine Arts for preschool young children. Among the recent performances, she was featured as a solo artiste at the Dance India Asia Pacific showcase by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay; performed in a new collaborative work “Kanna Va” by IndianRaga and Apsaras Arts in September 2020; conducted a workshop on “Ramayana through Odissi and Puppetry” at the Digital Culture festival by Indian Heritage Center; staged her new choreography “Ritu Ranga” at the Artwalk Little India Festival in January 2020-2019; “River Ramble” at the Stamford Arts Center opening by NAC in 2019; “Phenomenal Women” on International Women’s Day at The American Club and performed a full length solo repertoire at “Tribhanga” in the Darshana Intimate Dance Series by Apsaras Arts. She is an Economics graduate, completed an MBA in Human Resources and works as a management consultant to create a “better working world.”

Mohanapriyan Thavarajah has been the Resident Choreographer and Principal Dancer with Apsaras Arts since 2012.

Originally from Batticaloa, Srilanka, he has completed his Bachelors & Masters in Fine Arts (2005-2012) at) at Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, affiliate of Bharthidasan University, India under the tutelage of Ogeswari Shanmuganathan (Alumni of Kalakshetra Foundation, and has earned his MPhil (2014-2016) from Tanjavur Tamil University, India. His MPhil dissertation researched Cambodia’s Angkor Wat from a dancer’s perspective. A book on this is currently in the midst of being published. He is currently pursuing his PhD on the study of the influence of the roots of Indian culture and religion in Indonesian & Thai dance forms. Besides being a Bharatanatyam practitioner and researcher, he has also been trained in Kuchipudi under the tutelage of Kishore Mosalikanti. Today, he is being mentored by the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Priyadarshini Govind.

Since 2007, Mohanapriyan has received numerous awards and titles such as “Narthana Vithakan” and “Bharatha Kala Mani” for his performance proficiency in Bharatanatyam from various organisations in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. He has received significant critical acclaim for his imaginative and innovative choreography for both his ensemble and solo work that bring together the traditional vocabulary of the tenants of Bharatanatyam while retaining a vitalized interpretation and relevance to modern audiences. His in-depth research and deep understanding of South East Asian dance traditions has also made him a gifted & comprehensive designer of production costumes, headgear, jewelry and makeup. His deep aesthetic sense and creative knowledge in craft and design has enabled him to create spellbinding visual spectacles for many Apsaras Arts productions. Mohanapriyan has presented many dance research topics at seminars and workshops and is a well-regarded mentor and sought-after teacher for many young & upcoming dancers in France, USA, India and Singapore.

Seema Hari Kumar began her journey in dance at the age of eight under the tutelage of Mrs Neila Sathyalingam and has been a teaching faculty member for over 17 years. She has performed in over 15 National Day Parades and Chingay Processions under the banner of the People’s Association and has collaborated on various national-level events with the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Dance Ensemble (SMEDE). Besides being on the dance ensemble of all Apsaras Arts’ local productions such as Aarupadai, Aalam, Nirmanika, Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma etc. since 2001, Seema has also taken the global stage with the Company at international arts festivals in Australia, Bali, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Liverpool and Vietnam. Apart from performing, Seema has also expanded her portfolio to include choreography and teaching. She has assisted in the choreography and mentoring of schools during the Singapore Youth Festivals in 2004-2006. In 2011, she was also identified as a mentor-choreographer on Vasantham Central’s “Salangai Oli” programme where she mentored and choreographed the items performed by the finalist in the competition. Besides her dance career, Seema majored in Political Science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from National University of Singapore in 2006 and works in the events management industry.

Gayathri Chachithanandar holds a First class – Post graduate Diploma from Kalakshetra Foundation where she graduated as the “Best Overall Student” in both Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal disciplines in 2009. Hailing from Srilanka, she gained her initial training with Smt. Haridevi Jayasundara school of Fine Arts and North Ceylon Oriental Music Society. She also underwent advanced Bharatanatyam training under the tutelage of Sri. Sheejith Krishna, co-founder of Sahrdaya Foundation, Chennai, India.

As an accomplished teacher of 10 years, Gayathri has taught at Sahrdaya Foundation and at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). As a performer, she has performed all over the world, both solo and as part of ensemble productions in India, Srilanka, Singapore, Mauritius and Reunion Islands. Apart from Bharatanatyam, Gayathri’s excellent qualifications in Carnatic Vocals, Mridangam and Nattuvangam have made her unique teacher, able to impart not only the knowledge of the divine dance form but also teach the other building components of Dance, such as Music, Culture and Language.

Chitra Pubalan has learnt Bharatanatyam since the age of five. She started her journey at Usharani Subramaniam School of Dance in Singapore and completed her Arangetram in 2002. In 2006, she joined Apsaras Arts under the tutelage of Srimathi Neila Sathyalingam. She has had the privilege of performing in various venues across Singapore, participating in stage productions and been part of international dance tours to India, Australia and London. Besides teaching and performing, Chitra graduated from National Institute of Education (NIE) with a post graduate diploma in education. Today, she combines her dance teaching while being a baking entrepreneur and raising her young daughter.

V Loganayaki Govindarajan has been a student turned performer and teacher in Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Cultural Medallion Singapore Legend Smt. Neila Sathiyalingam since 1992. She completed her Diploma in Bharatanatyam and Arangetram in 2008, after years of intensive local and international trainings and performances. She had the rare opportunities to learn and perform with distinguished Apsaras senior students/alumni like V. Balakrishnun, Kavitha Krishnan, Vijaya Nadesan, Nagaletchumi Balasubramanian, Selvi Radhakrishnan and the Kesavan Sisters: Jayanthi and Suganthi. Beyond Singapore, she has also worked in productions by Ajith Bhaskar, Geethashankaran Lam, Sri Nimal Raj as well as Neha Mondal Chakrabothy from Malaysia. She has also completed training in vocal music under the tutelage of Eelanallur Sri Sathiyalingam, late Co-Founder of Apsaras Arts Singapore, Sri Sampagodu Vignaraja, Founder of Surya Global Music Academy Bangalore, India and music together with nattuvangam classes under the tutelage of Sri Nimal Raj, Natya Rajyam, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She holds a BA in Psychology and enjoys working with children and grooming them into responsible individuals. She has a love for yoga, communal cooking and advocating green practices.

Vijaya Nadesan – Academy Principal

Vijaya Nadesan has been a senior student and performer of Apsaras Art for the past 30 years and now specializes in Arts Education programs for schools. She started her formal Bharatanatyam training in 1987 under the tutelage of the Cultural Medallion Recipient, Mrs. Neila Sathyalingam. During her two decades of dancing, she has performed with People’s Association (1990-2000) and have gained experiences in Multi Ethnic, Folk and Contemporary dance forms. Her Arangetram in 1999 was a culmination of her varied experiences in ensemble work. She has been part of many travelling dance productions overseas – China, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India representing Singapore’s multi-ethnic dances. Today, she is overall in-charge of overseas productions and overseas project financing, vendor management, logistic and rehearsal scheduling. Over the decades, she has developed coaching and mentoring skills of varied Indian dance forms in schools and has helped schools achieve awards for schools at the Singapore Youth Festival. She has also cultivated a keen interest in teaching the traditional dance form to non-indian dancers in schools. Her teaching method involves interacting closely with students and meticulously creating structured learning techniques for her students which has helped her create innovative choreography.

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Circe is known for her manipulative and seductive nature, often depicted as a temptress who tests the willpower of the heroes who cross her path. Similar enchantress figures can also be found in other mythologies. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya is associated with beauty, love, and fertility, often depicted as a powerful sorceress who can enchant others with her charms. In Hindu mythology, the goddess Mohini is considered the ultimate enchantress, capable of captivating even the mightiest of beings with her beauty and allure. The concept of the divine enchantress serves as a reminder of the power of femininity and the seductive qualities of women. These enchantresses often represent the dual nature of love and desire, highlighting how they can be both alluring and dangerous. They embody a complex mix of beauty, power, and manipulation, ultimately challenging societal perceptions of femininity and the role of women. In addition to their seductive abilities, divine enchantresses are also associated with magic and transformation. They often possess the ability to use their mystical powers to change their appearance, cast spells, or control the elements. This adds an element of mystery and wonder to their character, making them even more alluring and captivating to those who encounter them. Overall, the concept of the divine enchantress is a fascinating one that has captivated the imaginations of people throughout history. Whether through Greek mythology, Norse folklore, or other cultural traditions, these mystical figures serve as a reminder of the power of beauty, allure, and the often unpredictable nature of desire..

Reviews for "Cultivating Self-Love: Embodying the Divine Enchantress Within"

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I was really disappointed with "Divine Enchantress". The story had so much potential, but it was poorly executed. The characters lacked depth and development, making it hard for me to connect with them. The plot felt too predictable and cliché, and I found myself losing interest halfway through. Overall, I believe the author could have done a much better job with this book.

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I had high hopes for "Divine Enchantress", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The pacing of the story was off, with moments of intense action followed by long periods of boredom. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry, making it hard for me to root for the main characters. Additionally, the dialogue was often cheesy and unrealistic. Overall, this book left me feeling disappointed and wanting more from the story.

The Divine Enchantress Archetype: A Guide to Manifesting Your Desires