Mohiniyattam is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms. Dance originates from legend of Mohini as per Hindu mythology. Mohini was incarnation of Vishnu which happened during Amrit Manthan. Mohiniyattam has elements of many other dance forms of south India. Its a sensuous dance, earlier performed by Devadasis during rule of Chera Kings from 9 to 12 C.E. King Swathi Thirunal of the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom later patronised this dance.
Mohiniyattam has love and devotion to god as its major themes. This dance comprises about 40 different basic movements called Adavukal. Lyrics are in Manipravalam, which is a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam languages. Also noticeable is the simple, yet elegant costume, which consists of white sari, bordered with broad golden brocade, called as Kasavu in Malayalam.