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Bharatanatyam Mudras (Hand Gestures)

Anjali 70 Comments

We explored Tatta Adavu over the last few posts and this basic Adavu only had leg tapping movements. From the next Adavu, there is use of hand gestures and I thought it is a good time to introduce you to the concept now.

As we understand Bharatanatyam better, we shall see that the whole body is used to express and reach out to the audience. The gestures using one or two hands are an important part of this expression.

Image Courtesy: cactusbones on Flickr

Gestures are not new to us since we use them in our day to day activities also! Just take some time and think of what gesture you would use for following situations:

  • To call a person
  • To point at an object
  • To show drinking
  • Denote a snake

Obviously, we have used some gesture or the other to express the above. So hand gestures are a basic mode of communication. Gesture is a symbolic action by which a thought, a feeling or intention is expressed.

Nritta hastas are a very integral part of any classical Indian dance. These hastas are more or less common for all the classical dances. In Bharatanatyam, hand gestures are used both in Nritta and Nritya.

In Bharatanatyam, hand gestures are divided into two categories:

  1. Asamyukta Hasta – That which is done with one hand or single hand gestures. They are 28 in number.

  2. Samyukta Hasta – That which is done using both hands or double hand gestures. They are 23 in number.

Each hand gestures has many applications or Viniyogas which are described in Sanskrit Slokas of the natayashastra. For eg. Tripataka used in the Nattu Adavu is used to represent a crown, tree, thunder, applying Tilak etc. The interpretation of the gesture is based on the context in which it is used.

Most of the hand gestures and Viniyogas in Bharatanatyam are described on this site. Please click through the links above. You can also look at the resources page and follow the links for hand gesture details on other sites.

Related posts:

  1. Samayukta Hastas or Double Hand Gestures in Bharatanatyam
  2. Kapota Hand Gesture (Mudra)
  3. Asamyukta Hasta or Single Hand Gesture
  4. Dola Hand Gesture (Mudra)
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70 Comments

  1. Mayuri

    Hi anjali,

    I went through the hand gestures in the resources link…and downloaded both pages….asamhastha was easy for me to recall and do and also understand the meaning of each mudra…but I got confused about samyutha. for eg katkavardhanam and shakatam….. chakra i know its both hands pataka and utasanga is both hands chaturau…but i am not sure about samputam, kurma and varaha…can u give a explanation on samyutha mudras…

  2. Anjali

    Thanks Mayuri for visiting this site. Yes i will explain all the hastas very soon. So stay tuned. I shall mail you directly with the above explanation.

  3. krishnaa

    Hi Anjali,
    Your website is really great! It’s a very very good source of information for all bharatnatyam dancers – especially starters.
    I am also a bharatanatyam student. My teacher is a graduate of dance from Kerala Kalamandalam (just for your info 🙂 )
    I have learnt most of the hasta bhedas. I wish to get the sanskrit verses from natya shastra describing the dasavatara hastas, deva hastas and navasandhi hastas.
    it would be really great if you could help me by sending then to me or posting them up.

    Krishnaa

  4. Anjali

    Hi krishnaa, thanks a lot for your kind words. Its nice to know that you are learning under such a qualified guru. My pranamams to your guru. I follow the Pandanallur style. I shall send you the description soon. Again Thanks a lot.

  5. krishnaa

    Thank you so much Anjali!
    I hope i am able to excel in bharatnatyam so that i become a befitting student of my guru. please wish me luck and pray for me… 🙂
    once again, thanks.

  7. SANDHYA

    HELLO ANJALI,

    I HAVE FORGOTTEN SOME OF MY MUDRAS IN BHARATNATYAM CAN YOU PLEASE PUT IN THE WEBSITE THE SAMYUKTA AND ASAMYUKTA HASTAS WITH IMAGES

    IF YOU CAN HELP ME I WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO YOU

  8. sandhya

    ANJALI PLEASE I AM WAITING FOR THE FEEDBACK
    I AM NOT A TEACHER NOR A STUDENT BUT I HAVE LEARNT BHARATANATYAM
    I HAVE SEEN ONLY 28 SAMYUKTA HASTA AND U HAVE GIVEN 31 HOW ARE THE OTHER 3 SHOWN CAN U PLEASE PUT THE IMAGES OF THE HASTAS PLEASE
    IT IS A REQUEST PLEASE

    THANKYOU

  9. Anjali

    Hi Sandhya, Thanks for visiting this site. Yes I will be putting all of them very soon. Meanwhile I have given some links on my Resources page for hand gestures . Do take a look at them. You will get images for all the Mudras.

  11. Anjali

    Yes krishnaa I have the Dashavatara and Devata Hasta Shloka, but Navasandhi mudra I donot have. I can mail you (in english script) if you still need them.

  12. krishnaa

    Anjali,
    thanks for your mail!
    Send to me the informaation that you have, please dont bother yourself too much. Ill be waiting for the next mail on dasavatara hastas. 🙂

  13. krishnaa

    Thanks so much for all that Anjali!!!!
    im sorry if a caused any trouble for you…. 🙂
    thank you once again!

  14. Manju

    Dear Ms.Anjali,
    I am happy to visit this website.My four year old daughter is learning bhartanatyam,but since i do ot have the background i am not able make her practice Mudras or steps at ome could you help me with some images of same .
    Look forward to your guidance.
    Thanks & best regards
    Manju

  16. Reena

    Dear Anjaligi, this site is very good ,My girl she is only 4yrs ,started with dance class ,I refer this site to prepare her for the class
    thank you

  17. krishnaa

    Hi Anjali!
    Its great to see your website progress. Keep it up! All the best for the future!
    I wanted to know, is there any website that shows the PICTURES of the hasta viniyogas? I have got all the slokas, i need some pictures for some clarifications. Please let me know of any website that has the pictures of hasta viniyogas.

  20. vikram

    hi…

    i want the hand gestures for all the nine rasa…
    where can i find those????
    awaiting for ur reply……
    thank you…

  22. Thejaswini

    Please correct the words!!! The words are SAMYUTHA and ASAMYUTHA not “Samyuktha” and “asamyuktha”…..

  23. Anjali

    hello Thejaswini, yes it is also pronounced like you have mentioned. In sanskrit the word “yukta” mean connected, joined, union or married.

  24. naveena

    Hello anjali!! i am naveena from mauritius.. ur website is really great, u doing really a gr8 job to help beginners about this classical dance. since childhood, I liked bharata natyam dance performances on tv and i wanted to learn it, there were few gurus over here at that time and my dad had a prejudice about the dance,it was not too well known over here and the hindi films showed it differently. I am currently am undergraduate student, and i am doing a module part of my course, introduction to indian classical dances. This way, i came to know more about bharata natyam. i have an assignment to do on bharata natyam, ur website really helping me a lot. nowadays there are a lot of gurus in mauritius, they went to india for studies and came over here to teach.
    wish u best of luck. thanks a lot.:-)

  27. Parina

    I think it is great that you are giving information like this it is helping me alot in doing a project so i just wanted to say thank you very very much!

  28. Jai

    Hi Anjali,

    Do you have the Nritta Hastas Sloka? I believe it starts with “CHATURASRO THATA UDVIRTHATHOU THATA”

    Thanks
    Jai

  29. priya

    hi anjali
    its really good to see your site i leart bharatanatyam for few years in gujrat had to leave coz of exams and all now seriously wish to join again coz lost touch in it do you take classes also it would be nice if you can give me information about your dance classes

  32. Dilini Kariyawasam

    Dearest Anjali,

    I went through your site.It is so great.Thanks a lot for making those things through the website.
    Im a Sri Lankan girl studing Bharatanatyam.Dear Anjali I need to know about the styles of Bharatanatyam & the dance history of pandya, pallava & chola periods.if you don’t mide please be kind enough to send me those facts.It will be a grate help for my studies.
    Anjali I wish you all the best & thanks again

    vt love
    Dilini

  33. harani

    madam…data in dis website s very helpful…thnq so much for it….i would lyk to learn basics of bharatanatyam on ma own viewing some videos….if u could plz help me out with some data regarding it…it would surely help me a lot….hope u would send me details of sme postures in bharatanatyam as soon as posible……………….thnkin u-harani

  40. cdf

    Dearest Anjali,

    I went through your site.It is so great.Thanks a lot for making those things through the website.
    Im a Sri Lankan girl studing Bharatanatyam.Dear Anjali I need to know about the styles of Bharatanatyam & the dance history of pandya, pallava & chola periods.if you don’t mide please be kind enough to send me those facts.It will be a grate help for my studies.
    Anjali I wish you all the best & thanks again

    vt love
    Dilini

  41. Aastha

    Hi anjali…u r doing a great job…..I have got ma exam and this really helped me a lot…u r doing very good job..I guess its the best site for bharatnatyam….thanks a a lot

  42. Shlok

    Hey nice preparations n nice photograph. I dont kno anything abt bharatnatym. I wnt to learn bharatnatyam. Cn i? M already 19.

  43. giri

    hi this very useful can any body suggest web site in tamil expalation. as im doing research on this

  44. ramya

    Really details u have given for the hand gestures r very nice …. more over u conveyed it clearly and in easy manner …. i cant able to recall each slog a of ASAMYUKTA HASTA ……. can u pls make it little clear with pictures of those hand gestures

  48. Saloni Jain

    Hi Anjali,
    Thanks a lot for your website because if your website was not there than i would not be able to give my bharatnatyam exam. Your website helped me a lot in learning and revicing the gestures.
    And my request to you is that please do put the videos of neck and head movements.
    You’re website helped me a lot .

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