Kala Vijayan

Biography Kala Vijayan is an Indian classical dance performer, choreographer, author and actor. She is the daughter of the legendary Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Mohiniyattam exponent Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. Kala Vijayan is trained in Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, however she is best known for her contributions to Mohiniyattam. She is the recipient of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Mohiniyattam (1998) and the Kerala State Award for Mohiniyattam (2019). She is the Principal Director and senior Guru at Kerala Kalalayam, a fine arts institute established by her parents at Thripunithura in 1952.

Family Kala Vijayan was born on 8 May 1944 at Desamangalam village, Shornur. Her father, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was a legendary Kathakali artist who popularized Kathakali within Kerala and beyond. Her mother, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, is remembered as the “Tharavattamma” or “Mother” of Mohiniyattam. She was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kerala Kalamandalam from 1937 to 1940 and played a pivotal role in the resurrection of Mohiniyattam to a classical dance form. Sreedevi Rajan has two daughters – Smitha Rajan and Sandhya Rajan – both of whom are Mohiniyattam performers and instructors. Their brother, Kalasala Babu was an Indian stage, serial and film actor.

Kala is married to C.K. Vijayan, a retired FACT employee. Her son Ajith Vijayan is a film and television actor.

Education Vijayan did her pre-university education from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. Growing up in a family of artists, she studied Mohiniyattam and Kathakali from her mother and father respectively. In an interview, Deepti Omcheri, a Mohiniyattam exponent, recollected her initial training days under Vijayan.

Awards 1978 - Natyakalarathnam Award by Sahrudaya Samithi, Tripunithura. 2022 - Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Mohiniyattam) 2024 - Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship

Books Vijayan has authored a book on Mohiniyattam titled Mohiniyattam: Ariyendath Ellam. It was brought out by DC Publishers in 2012. This book is included in the syllabus for Mohiniyattam in R.L.V. College, Tripunithura and Sree Sankara College, Kallady. Portrayed the role of Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma in the documentary produced by her niece Smitha Rajan, "Mother of Mohiniyattam" (2019) directed by Dr. Vinod Mankara