Mokshada is a contemporary dance-drama inspired by the mythical narratives of the Panchakanya – Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Tara, and Mandodari – revered heroines from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. These five women, celebrated in Hindu mythology as embodiments of purity and devotion, also endure profound trials of injustice, exile, and humiliation. The performance reimagines their stories from a feminist perspective, giving voice to their silent suffering and inner strength. Through a fusion of global dance forms and Nepali aesthetics, Mokshada explores themes of chastity, resilience, and liberation, reflecting on how patriarchal systems continue to define and confine women. The play journeys through their pain and defiance, ultimately portraying moksha – spiritual freedom – as an act of self-realization and courage. It is both a tribute to mythic womanhood and a call for gender awakening in contemporary society.
Writer and Director
Namrata KC is a Kathak dancer, choreographer, instructor and a theatre director from Nepal. She has been actively working in dancing and drama sector in Nepal and India since 2006. Completed her master’s degree from University of Lucknow in India in Kathak dance, she has been recently appointed as the Assistant Professor of Dance at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Namrata KC has been introducing dance theatre productions related with and beyond female issues in Nepal since 2014. Her directional credits in theatre are “Swan Lake” (2014) “Jyanmaya” (2016), “Rajendralaxmi” (2018), “Mokshada” (2019), “Joon, more than a fairy tale” (2023) and Premarambha (2024). Besides, she has been conceiving and leading various dance related programs, events, and festivals in Nepal.
Director’s Note
Mokshada was born from my long-standing desire to reinterpret the narratives of our sacred texts through a woman’s lens. The Panchakanya – Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Tara, and Mandodari – are often remembered as paragons of chastity, yet their stories reveal deep injustices, silences, and sacrifices. They are not mere symbols of purity but complex human beings who faced immense moral and emotional conflicts.
In this production, I wanted to question the conventional portrayal of these women and to celebrate their strength, endurance, and dignity. Using dance as the primary language allows emotion to transcend words – the body becomes the storyteller. Mokshada merges five distinct dance traditions from around the world with Nepali rhythms and imagery, creating a dialogue between myth and modernity.
This work is my artistic offering to Nepali theatre – an attempt to expand its vocabulary through movement, music, and mythology.
Group
Aesthetic Dance Studio is a Kathmandu-based dance theatre company and institute. Established in 2016 by expert dance artists, Aesthetic Dance Studio has been organizing various dance events and theatre productions in Nepal since its establishment. With an objective of promoting unique Nepali theatre style that is based on music, dance and drama, Aesthetic Dance Studio has been frequently producing dance theatre productions and staging for regular theatre audiences. Its productions has been staged in prestigious theatre festivals of Nepal and India such as Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Ranga Shankara International Theatre Festival and Nepal International Theatre Festival. Since February 2024, Aesthetic Dance Studio operated a pilot project on running a dance theatre center at Kathmandu for a year. Named Navya Naachghar, the project hosted more than a dozen experimental dance theatre productions in a regular-basis for a year. The company has also organized Nepal Nrityotsav: Festival of Dance in 2019.