Mysore Ashtanga Yoga Bharatanatyam Mohini Attam and Odissi Art Of Living Pranayama Vipassana Mysor Mysooru Mysoor

Holistic Art : Ashtanga Yoga

A visit to Mysore would not be complete without experiencing the transforming power of this ancient art of living -Ashtanga Yoga. Literally meaning union, this tantra seeks to unite the individual soul or jivatma with the universal soul (God) or paramatma through rigorous mental and physical efforts. It is an art of leading a physically healthy, mentally balanced and morally rich life. Yoga, conceived by the Indian sages thousands of years ago, long before the advent of modern psychiatry, recognizes the interaction between body and mind and analyses the cause of pain, sorrow and suffering.

The Ashtanga Yoga, an eight-fold path to final liberation of pain and suffering advocates these eight steps: yama or disciplined behavior, niyama or self purification, asana or Bodily postures, pranayama or control of breathing , pratyahara or control of the senses, dharana or concentration of the mind on a chosen object, dhyana or meditation.

Facilities to learn and practice this extremely rewarding discipline are available in tranquil locations in Mysore.

Bharatanatyam Mohini Attam and Odissi

PERFORMING ARTS : Classical Dances

Of the many forms of classical dances, Bharatanatyam has been practiced for as long as the 5th century. It was during the rule of Wodeyar dynasty, in Mysore, there came a resurgence of all art forms and a distinctive style of dance emerged. Today it is called the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam. It bears a unique flavour of its own with a vast repertoire of abhinaya, elaborate purvanga vidhi and packed with Shlokas, Asthapadis, Padas and Javalis of rare beauty. The jaru adavus (slide or rest steps), which embellish the Javalis, are very peculiar and make the Javali lively and crisp. Dancers called devadasis performed in temple courtyards while the ashtana vidushis entertained the royals in the palace courts. They were artists of high standards of technical excellence and profound scholarship apart from being good singers. Today, these arts have shifted from the temples and palaces to the modern theatre and attract art lovers with their superlative charm.

Mysore being the cultural capital of southern India is home to artistes of other dance forms as well. The Odissi and the Mohiniyattam are among the more acclaimed of dance forms and appreciated over the world for their timeless beauty. if you would like to learn any of these dance forms in Mysore from the experts, the first choice for bharathanatyam would be Ms. Vasundhara Doraswamy and for Mohiniyattam and Odissi it is Ms. Sindhu Kiran, both performers of international repute.

VISUAL ARTS : Paintings and Murals

The erstwhile state of Mysore has the unique distinction of pioneering a distinctive form of art during the 17th and 18th centuries which has come to be known as the Mysore School. It was at its zenith during the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja WodeyarIII. The typical Mysore Painting was usually executed on paper pasted on cloth or wood. Once the sketch was made, a special relief work called gesso was done in the areas marked for jewellery and other embellishments to enhance them. These were later covered with 24k gold leaf and then the painting was given the finishing touches. After the painting was completed and dry, a thin paper was placed on top of it and rubbed softly with a smooth soft stone to bring the richness in the relief work done with gold foil. Artists used vegetable dyes and mineral colours and prepared all materials required themselves.
There are innumerable examples of mural paintings in temples and palaces all over Karnataka that articulate of the rich culture of Mysore. While most of the themes are religious, resting on the religious texts of Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there are a few spots of secular themes structured on the contemporary life of the period. The Srirangapatna murals are thematically different in that they are either historical or politically motivated paintings which confers on them a unique quality.

Places to look out for are Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery at Jaganmohan Palace, the Maharaja’s Palace, Daria Daulat Bagh in Srirangapatna, and the Venkatappa Art Gallery.