By N. Kuvineshwaren
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- What began as a costume designed for a Bharathanatyam production in 2015 has evolved into a travelling expression of Malaysian identity, with artiste and choreographer Kamini Manikam weaving Malay, Chinese and Indian cultural elements into the classical Indian dance attire.
The costume combined Malay songket, Chinese silk and the traditional visual language of Bharathanatyam while maintaining the movement and structural requirements of the classical dance form.
Kamini said the design was conceived as a National Bharathanatyam Costume that could reflect a distinctly Malaysian identity without compromising the origins and grammar of the art form.
“I created the costume in 2015 for my LIPSTICK Series 2: sHE, woMAN, feMALE, a social thematic production. It accompanied an original Thillana composition about Malaysia, our region, our people and the spirit of living together.
“I envisioned it as a National Bharathanatyam Costume, a classical Indian dance garment that could carry a distinctly Malaysian identity while still honouring the art form’s origins,” she told Bernama.
For the blouse, Kamini used Chinese silk with a cheongsam-inspired visual language, while the trousers were constructed from songket to reflect the richness of Malay textile tradition, with the overall design remaining rooted in Indian classical aesthetics and Bharathanatyam.
“My intention was never to place three cultures beside one another like separate decorations. I wanted them to inhabit one performing body - one body, one rhythm and one soul,” she said.
Kamini said the costume had to meet the practical demands of Bharathanatyam, which requires movements including Araimandi, deep bends, kneeling, turns, jumps, expansive arm lines and vigorous footwork.
“The classical construction principles were therefore my non-negotiable foundation. I retained the fitted, stitched logic and visual geometry required for Bharathanatyam, and introduced the Malaysian textiles only where their weight, stiffness and drape could work with the movement,” she said.
She said the colours of the Malaysian flag were used as the unifying palette, with the red blouse representing Chinese influence and blue songket trousers expressing Malay heritage, while the white and yellow pleated elements and classical ornamentation retained the Indian identity.
The costume subsequently attracted interest from the classical dance community and was documented by Japanese scholar Mayuri Koga in a 2016 research paper titled Ethnicity and Nationality Regarding Indian Dance in Malaysia.
It later featured in Merdeka celebrations and travelled overseas, including performances in India and Japan.
Kamini, who has performed more than 400 times locally and internationally, said her background in Bharathanatyam and the performing arts had shaped the way she viewed clothing as “moving architecture”, adding that performing internationally in the costume gave her a sense of belonging as a Malaysian artiste.
The philosophy behind the 2015 costume later evolved beyond the stage, culminating in the creation of the Malaysian Sarong Saree, which brings together the visual language of the Indian saree with Malaysian sarong and batik elements.
The idea was revived when Kamini was invited to perform a piece inspired by the Melaka Chetti community, whose traditional attire includes the kebaya and sarong, while the saree is also worn for special occasions.
This prompted her to revisit earlier sketches exploring how the Indian saree could be combined with Malaysian sarong and batik.
“The Sarong Saree carries that philosophy forward. It is not intended to replace the Indian saree or claim ownership over any culture.
“It is an invitation to imagine a Malaysian chapter in the saree’s continuing story-one shaped by our shared history, multicultural relationships and experience of living together as Malaysians,” she added.
Unveiled on Aug 1, 2026, at the Auditorium Muzium Negara during The Peranakan Exchange, the six-metre garment incorporates batik motifs and rhythmic patterns on its main body, contrasting colours in the pleated section and elaborate motifs on the pallu, creating a distinctive visual effect when worn or in motion.
Kamini said both creations were ultimately driven by the same question of identity, how traditional art and attire could reflect not only ancestral roots but also the lived experience of Malaysians who have grown up alongside different cultures.
“I wanted to wear Malaysia, not only one part of Malaysia,” she said.
-- BERNAMA