One of the most striking features of Indian classical dance and dances of Thailand,[1] Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Malay world 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 or finger gesture) are used in Indian classical dance, Thai dances, Cambodian dances, Lao dances, Burmese dances and Malay dances, and are a prominent part of the dancer's vocabulary.
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 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.
In Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of India performed by Lord Nataraja, approximately 51 root mudras (hand or finger gestures) are used to clearly communicate specific ideas, events, actions, or creatures in which 28 require only one hand, and are classified as `Asamyuta Hasta', along with 23 other primary mudras which require both hands and are classified as 'Samyuta Hasta'; these 51 are the roots but the branches permit of many more mudra, some of which are used primarily as aesthetic or decorative.
| 1. | Pataka | flag | beginning a dance, forest, river, sprinkling water, cloud, night, forbidding things, horse[2] | ||
| 2. | Tripataka | three parts of the flag | tree, arrow, vajra weapon, Indra, crown, light rising, union | ||
| 3. | Ardhapataka[3] | half flag | flag, temple tower, horn, riverbank, tender shoots, writing panel, knife | ||
| 4. | Kartarimukha | scissors face or arrow shaft face | separation of women and men, opposition, stealing, corner of the eye, death, disagreement, lightning | ||
| 5. | Mayura | peacock or peacock's beak | bird of omen, forehead, stroking the hair, wiping tears, argument | ||
| 6. | Ardhachandra | half moon | spear, platter, anxiety, meditation, prayer, greeting | ||
| 7. | Arala | bent | drinking poison | ||
| 8. | Shukatunda | parrot head | shooting an arrow, throwing a spear, mystery | ||
| 9. | Mushthi | closed fist | steadiness, holding things, grasping the hair, wrestling | ||
| 10. | Shikhara | mountain top or spire | God of Love, bow, pillar, sound of a bell, silence, questioning, husband, lover, embrace | ||
| 11. | Kapitta | Goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati, holding cymbals, holding flowers at the time of flirting, milking cows | |||
| 12. | Katakamukha | opening of a bracelet | picking flowers, holding a pearl necklace or garland of flowers, drawing a bow slowly, speech, glancing | ||
| 13. | Suchi | needle | Parabrahma, one, one hundred, sun, city, world, fan, threatening, astonishment, umbrella, beating the drum | ||
| 14. | Chandrakala | crescent moon | digit of the moon | ||
| 15. | Padmakosha | lotus bud | water lily, fruit, apple, mango, breast | ||
| 16. | Sarpashirsha | snake head | giving water to Gods and sages, the flapping of elephant's ears, slowness | ||
| 17. | Mrigashirsha | deer head | women, calling the beloved, cheek, holding an umbrella, actor's costume, house, fear, discussion | ||
| 18. | Simhamukha | lion face | elephant, lotus, coral, pearl, garland, fragrance, drop of water, salvation when placed on the heart | ||
| 19. | Kangulashya | tail | Lakuce fruit, water lily, breast | ||
| 20. | Alapadma or Solapadma | lotus in full bloom | yearning for the beloved, mirror, moon pavillion, full moon, village, murmuring sound, praise | ||
| 21. | Chatura | square | eyes, musk, a little, breaking to pieces | ||
| 22. | Bhramara | bee | parrot, crane, cuckoo, union | ||
| 23. | Hamsasya | swan beak | tying the marriage thread, initiation, painting, drop of water | ||
| 24. | Hamsapaksha | swan wing | arranging, constructing a bridge, making marks with the nails, number six | ||
| 25. | Sandamsha | Padmakosha mudra repeatedly opened and closed | generosity, worship, offering, number five | ||
| 26. | Mukula | flower bud | water lily, the God of love, eating | ||
| 27. | Tamrachuda | rooster | crane, camel, calf, writing or drawing | ||
| 28. | Trishula | trident | three together, wood apple leaf |
| 1. | Anjali | offering | |||
| 2. | Kapotam | dove | |||
| 3. | Karkatam | crab | |||
| 4. | Swastikam | auspicious sign | |||
| 5. | Dola-Hastam | drummer's hands | |||
| 6. | Pushpaputam | bag of flowers | |||
| 7. | Utsangam | embrace | |||
| 8. | Shivalingam | sign of Lord Shiva | |||
| 9. | Kataka-vardhanam | chain | |||
| 10. | Kartari-swastikam | ||||
| 11. | Shakatam | carriage | |||
| 12. | Shankha | conch shell | |||
| 13. | Chakram | rotating disc | |||
| 14. | Pasha | ropes | |||
| 15. | Kilaka | bond | |||
| 16. | Samputa | round shaped casket | |||
| 17. | Matsya | fish | |||
| 18. | Kurma | tortoise | |||
| 19. | Varaha | boar | |||
| 20. | Garuda | half-eagle, half-human mount of Lord Vishnu | bird(s) flying | ||
| 21. | Nagabandham | snakes entwined | |||
| 22. | Khattva | cot | |||
| 23. | Bherunda | pair of birds |
| Name in Thai | Translation(s) in English | Other meanings | Illustration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taw chan (ตัวฉัน) | I, Myself | ||
| Taw thex (ตัวเธอ) | You | ||