List of mudras (dance)

One of the most striking features of Indian classical dance and dances of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and is the use of hand gestures. Speaking in dance via gestures in order to convey outer events or things visually is what mudras do. To convey inner feelings, two classifications of mudras (hand/finger gesture) are used in Indian classical dance, Thai dances, Cambodian dances, Lao dances and Burmese dances, and are indeed a prominent part of the dancer's vocabulary.

Background

The Abhinaya Darpa (a descriptive primer for dancers) mentions that the dancer should sing the song by the throat, express the meaning of the song through hand gestures, show the state of feelings in the song by eyes, and express the rhythm with his or her feet.

From the Natya Shastra, a text on the arts, this beautiful quotation and translation is often quoted by Indian classical dance instructors:

"Yato hastastato drishtihi"..."Where the hand is, the eyes follow"

"Yato drishtistato manaha"..."Where the eyes go, the mind follows"

"Yato manastato bhavaha"..."Where the mind is, there is the feeling"

"Yato bhavastato rasaha"..."Where there is feeling, there is mood/flavour, sweetness (i.e., appreciation of art; aesthetic bliss)"

So vast are the subtleties expressed in the hand gestures of hasta that the vastness of what being human entails, and perhaps even what the entire universe contains, might be expressed by the dancer.

Hence as 'hasta' form a distinct coded language which brings a unique poetic element while performing, so too when abhinaya (traditional facial expressions), pose (attitude), and rhythm complete the language, the dancer may express practically anything and everything to an attentive audience.

Gestures

In Bharatanatyam, the Classical Dance of India performed by Lord Nataraja, approximately fifty-five root mudras (hand/finger gestures) are used to clearly communicate specific ideas, events, actions, or creatures in which thirty-two require only one hand, and are classified as `Asamyukta Hasta', along with twenty-three other primary mudras which require both hands and are classified as 'Samyukta Hasta'; these fifty-five are the roots but the branches permit of many more mudra, some of which are used primarily as aesthetic or decorative enhancements.

Asamyukta hastas

Name in Sanskrit	Translation(s) in English	Other meanings	Illustration
Pataka	Flag cloud,forest
Tripataka	Flag in three parts crown, tree
Ardhapataka	Half flag
Kartarimukha	Scissors face
Mayura	Peacock
Ardhachandra	Half moon
Arala	bent
Shukatunda	parrot head
Mushthi	fist
Shikhara	Peak
Kapitta	Elephant Apple
Katakamukha	Opening of a bracelet
Suchi	Needle
Chandrakala	Face of the moon
Padmakosha	Lotus bud Fruit
Sarpashirsha	Snake head
Mrigashirsha	Head of a deer
Simhamukha	Face of a lion
Langula or Kangula	Lily
Alapadma	lotus
Chatura	Four
Bhramara	Bee
Hamsasya	Swan head
Hamsapaksha	Swan wing
Sandamsha	Pincers
Mukula	Flower bud
Tamrachuda	Rooster
Trishula	Trident
Ardhasuchi	Half needle (this not there there are 28mudras )
Vyagraha	Tiger
Palli	Knot
Kataka	Resting Place

Samyukta mudra

Sanskrit	English	Other Meanings	Illustration
Anjali	Offering
Kapotam	Dove
Karkatam	Crab
Swastikam	Auspicious sign
Dola-Hastam	Drummer's hands
Pushpaputam	bag of flowers
Utsangam	embrace
Shivalingam	sign of Lord Shiva
Kataka-vardhanam	chain
Kartari-swastikam
Shakatam	carriage
Shankha	Conch-shell
Chakram	Rotating disc
Pasha	Ropes
Kilaka	bolt
Samputa	round shaped casket
Matsya	Fish
Kurma	Tortoise
Varaha	Boar
Garuda	Half-eagle, half-human mount of Lord Vishnu, a bird/birds flying
Nagabandham	snakes entwined
Khattva	cot
Bherunda	A pair of birds

See also

• List of gestures
• List of Indian dances

• Adavu

References

• Indianartz.com. Hasta Mudras - Gallery.
• Ramm-Bonwitt, Ingrid (1987). Mudras - As Maos Como Simbolo do Cosmos.