Pataaka means “Flag”. Pataaka is done with all fingers held straight like the Stop sign. There should be no gap between the fingers. Following are the uses (viniyoga) of Pataaka:
Lets see the Viniyoga shloka (sanskrit verses that explain the uses) :
Natyarambhay varivahe vanay vastunishedhanay
Kuchastalay nishayam cha nadyam amaramandale
Turangay khandanay vayo shayanay gamanodyamay
Pratapay cha prasaday cha chandrikayam ghanatapay
Kavatapatanay saptavibhaktyarthay tarangakay
Vethe praveshabhavepi samtvay cha angaragakay
Atmarthay shapathay chape tushnibhavnidharshanay
Talapatray cha khetay cha dravyadishparshanay tatha
Ashirvadekriyayam cha nrupashreshthasya bhavanay
Tatra tatreti vachanay sindhau cha sukrutikramay
Sambhodhanay purogepi khadgarupasya dharanay
Masay sanvatsaray varshadineay sammarjanay tatha
Evamartheshu yujyante patakahastabhavanaha
It says Pataka Mudra is used to denote the following ;
- Natyarambhay: At the beginning of Natyarambha
- Varivahe: Clouds
- Vanay: Forest
- Vastunishedhanay: Denial of objects
- Kuchastalay: Bosom
- Nishayam: night
- Nadyam: river
- Amaramandalay: Realm of Divinity
- Turangay: Horse
- Khandanay: Cutting
- Vayo: Wind
- Shayanay: To sleep
- Gamanodyamay: To show one is going
- Pratapay: Prowess
- Prasaday: Bless
- Chandrikayam: Moonlight
- Ghanatapay: Fierce heat
- Kavatapatanay: Pushing and opening the doors
- Saptavibhaktyarthay: Seven case endings
- Tarangakay: Ripples
- Vethe: Street
- Praveshabhavepi: Entering the lane
- Samtvay: Equanimity
- Angaragakay: Smearing oneself
- Atmarthay: oneself
- Shapathay chape: Taking oath
- Tushnibhavnidharshanay: Silence
- Talapatray: Palmarya Leaf
- Khetay: Shield
- Dravyadishparshanay: Touching Objects
- Ashirvadekriyayam: To bless
- Nrupashreshthasya bhavanay: An ideal king
- Tatra tatreti vachanay: To this and that, Showing location
- Sindhau: Sea
- Sukrutikramay: Series of meritorious actions
- Sambhodhanay: To address some one
- Purogepi: Step forward
- Khadgarupasya: grasping a sword
- Masay: Month,
- sanvatsaray: Year
- varshadineay: A drizzly day
- Sammarjanay: A sweeping with broom
The gesture is mainly used in Sarikal Adavu & Murka Adavu.
Thanks for sharing them. Though am not aware of these gestures and in fact bharatanatyam itself, i appreciate this art to the core. Unlike the common modernized ones which everyone get to see in movies and channels, this has a class of it own. Amen to this art form and the people who carry it forward.
Hi, i wonder if u could post a movie on the uses of the hastas viniyoga along with the sloka. i liked all those instructional adavus by various artistes, maybe u could do it for the theory?
How do you show month using pathaaka?..I mean what is the position the hasta is to be held to depict “month” ?…could you please let me know…thanks
There are various interpretations to it. I hold the Pataka hasta close to the right shoulder for a month, the inner palm facing the left side.
i am living in pune and i am having class of bharatnatyam i love it my teacher is vaishali parasnis sucheta chaphekar great student my 2 year is going on &i am still 11 years old but i like western dances also not kathak in our school there is kathak but i dont keep attention because i dont like kathak i just hate western &bharatnatyam till now i have studied till natadav 7 my class is on sat & sun
Anjali,
I would love it if you were able to put up pictures or even better a video of the uses of pataka.
Thanks
B
Anjali, your website and dancing lessons are so nice. I need some help for Pataka hand gesture series, like natyarambhe, varivahe, vane–I need actions of these, can you help me where could I get?
@rajini:The site will be updated with these information soon. meanwhile you can refer Cd’s on hasta abhinayam called “bharatanatyam percepts and practice”available in the market.
Your website is very nice
Nice information shared. I’ve also been learning bharathanatyam for the past 9 years and I’m enjoying it. It has brought peace to my mind and body. So for all those who feel that classical dance is a bore, try and learn it. You will yourself come to know about the art and its status.
Thanks.
Anjali, This is very very professional work! Congratulations!
I registered and logged in for my 8 year old daughter.
I want to make a contribution,
financial and in terms of time.
Thank you and God bless.
Thank you very much Amy!!! and I wish good wishes to your daughter.
Have you hands mows with FULL ” Viniyogangal ”?
The pathaka hastha mudra, following part…
Kavatapatane saptavibhaktyarthe tarange
Vethepraveshabhavepi samtve chagaragake
it has to be angararaadhake.
@Naveetha, thanks for bringing to my notice. And its Angaraagake. (only one ‘ra’.)
hi , can u pls let me know if i can get all the viniyogas sloka in sanskrit version as it is difficult for me to know the right pronounciation in english version.
its fantastic.and thanks for
thanks
Really nice mam. its very useful to learn. and thank you so much for this.
hi i love bharatnatym plz one reqest 2 u the images of viniyoga shalokha plz send on it
veri helpful for learning studants
y
o
you are my
teacher from heaven
Thanks
Hi Anjali, I am quiet impressed and also surprised by the way you have detailed each and every spandanam of Bharathanatiyam. I am trying to refresh my Bharathanatiyam knowledge . Thanks for such a brilliant work.
YOUR WEBSUTE HELPED A LOT , THANKS . I NEEDED TO WRITE MY NOTES ON THESE CUZ I GO FOR CLASSES AND YOUR WEBSITE IS A HUGE HELP 🙂
This so nice I can even watch videos and learn