Hand mudras (hasta mudra) are the most important part of dancing in kathak. It makes the story easy to understand. Today we are going to learn about various dance mudras in kathak and its meaning.
Their are 2 types of hasta mudras : samyukt ( double handed ) and asamyukt (single handed).
Asamyutha Hastas: The One- Handed Gestures
There are 28 Asamyutha hastas
There are 28 Asamyutha hastas
| Hasta | Meaning | How to |
|---|---|---|
| Pathakam | Flag/creeper | Pathakam is done with all fingers held straight like the Stop sign. There should be no gap between the fingers. |
| Tripathakam | 3 parts of a flag/ | In this Mudra all the fingers are held straight and close together like the stop sign except for the ring finger which is bent. |
| Ardhapathakam | 2 parts of a flag/ | It is done by bending the little finger after doing the Tripataka. |
| Kartarimukham | Scissors/ Tongs | Mudra is done when the little finger and the ring finger is bent and pressed against the thumb. While the index finger and the Middle finger is stretched to show a scissor. |
| Mayuram | Peacock | The ring finger and the tip of the thumb touch each other while the other fingers are held straight without any gap. |
| Ardhachandran | Half Moon | All the finger are held straight and together except the thumb finger which is held apart. It is just like the Pataka gesture but the thumb finger is held straight and not bent like in Pataka. |
| Aralam | Petal/ bent | It is done when the Index finger is bent while doing the Pataka Mudra. Here the index finger is bent along with the thumb while the other fingers are held straight. |
| Shukathundam | Parrot’s beak | When the Ring finger of the Arala mudra is bent we get Shukatunda Hasta. |
| Mushti | Fist | When the four fingers are pressed closely against the palm while the thumb is held tightly between the palm and the other four fingers.The thumb can also be placed on the four fingers |
| Shikaram | The pinnacle/ top | Here all the fingers are bent and pressed against the Palm except the thumb. The thumb is raised and held erect. (like the thumbs-up Sign) |
| Kapitam | Wood apple | While doing Shikhara mudra bending the pointer finger and pressing it over the thumb is the Kapitta mudra. |
| Katakamukham | bracelet/link | Katakamukha means “Opening in a Bracelet”. Its done by bringing together the index finger middle finger and thumb. The ring finger and the little finger are raised at angles as shown. |
| soochi | needle | The Middle finger Ring finger and Little finger is pressed against the thumb while the forefinger is held straight. |
| Chandrakala | Full moon | Chandrakala means Digit of the Moon. Release the thumb in Suchi Mudra and hold it straight |
| Padmakosam | Lotus Bud | All the fingers are stretched and slightly brought closer to form Padmakosha. |
| Sarpasirsham | Hood of Cobra | When the Hand is held in Pataka Mudra and the fingers are bend from the tip to form a hollowed palm we get Sarpashirsha Mudra. |
| Mrigaseerisham | Deer’s head | Fingers are bent from the knuckles except for the little finger and the thumb which is held straight |
| Simhamukham | Lion’s face | When the middle finger and the ring finger press against the thumb while the other fingers are held straight we get the Simhamukha Hasta. |
| Kangulam | small bell | The ring finger in bent while the other fingers are stretched out. |
| Alapadmam | Fully Bloomed Lotus | Here the fingers are held in such a manner as if to ask “why”. The little finger points up and thereafter the other fingers follow. |
| Chaturam | 4 sides square | When the thumb in Mrigashirsa mudra is held at the base of the Index middle and ring finger we get the Chatura Hasta. |
| Bramharam | Bee | When the Index finger in the Katakamukha mudra is curled and placed in between the middle finger and the thumb we get the Bhramara mudra. |
| Hamsasyam | Swan’s bill | the Thumb and the Index finger touch each other at the tips while the other fingers are straight separated and stretched. |
| Hamsapakshakam | The swan | Similar to mrigasirsha but thumb is also bent. |
| Sandamsham | Tongs/twinkle | Sandamsha involves closing and opening of fingers. |
| Mukulam | bud | When all the five finger are brought together and touch each other at the tip. |
| Tamarachooda | rooster | When the Index finger of the Suchi Mudra is bent we get the Tamrachuda hasta. |
| Trishoolam | Trident | When the Thumb and the little finger are bent or meet each other while the Index Middle and the ring finger are held straight. This Gesture looks like the weapon Trishula. |
Pathaakas tripatako ardhapatakaha kartarimukhaha
Mayuraasyo ardhachandrashcha araala shukatundakaha
Mushtishcha shikaraakhyashcha kapittha katakamukhaha
Suchi chandrakala padmakosha sarpashirastatha
Mrigashirsha simhamukhaha kangulo alapadmakaha
Chaturo bramarashchaiva hamsaasyo hamsapakshakaha
Samdamsho mukulashchaiva tamrachuda trishulakaha
Ityasamyutahasta hastaanaam ashtavinshatiririta
Mayuraasyo ardhachandrashcha araala shukatundakaha
Mushtishcha shikaraakhyashcha kapittha katakamukhaha
Suchi chandrakala padmakosha sarpashirastatha
Mrigashirsha simhamukhaha kangulo alapadmakaha
Chaturo bramarashchaiva hamsaasyo hamsapakshakaha
Samdamsho mukulashchaiva tamrachuda trishulakaha
Ityasamyutahasta hastaanaam ashtavinshatiririta
Samyutha Hasta
Samyutha Hastas are also called as Double hand gestures or Combined hand gestures. Unlike Asamyutha hastas, these gestures require use of both the palms to convey the message or a particular meaning.
| Mudra | Meaning | How to |
|---|---|---|
| Anjali | Salutation to pray greet | When both the palms in Pataka are joined together we get the Anjali Mudra. In fact in the Indian culture this Mudra is very often used for greeting people. |
| Kapotham | dove | When the Anjali Mudra is slightly bulging at the knuckles of the palm we get the Kapota Hasta. In this gesture the palms touch each other only at the Tips and the base of the palm. |
| karkatam | Twist stretch | Here the fingers of both the hands are interlocked with each other. |
| Swastikam | crossed | We get the swastika pose when both the palms in pataka are crossed at the wrists. |
| Dola | Walking gait | When the pataka hasta is placed to the sides of the thigh we get the Dola hasta. |
| Pushpaputam | Offer flowers | When both the Palms are joined together at the little finger and slightly hollow at the centre of the Palms. The inner palm facing up. |
| Utsangam | shoulders | When the right and left palms touches the left and right shoulder respectively in Mrigashirsha mudra we get the Utsanga hasta. |
| Shivalingam | Shiva Linga | Hold Ardhacandra in the left hand palm facing up. Hold shikhara in the right hand and place it on the left hand. |
| katakaavardanam | coronation | When both the hands are crossed in Katakamukha Mudra we get Katakavardhana hasta. |
| Karthariswastikam | Denotes palace hills trees | When both the hands are crossed in Kartarimukha Mudra we get the Kartariswastika Hasta. |
| shakatam | demon | When the Bhramara hasta is held in both hands near sides of cheek we get the Shakata Hasta. |
| Shanka | Conch | Hold the thumb of your left hand with the forefingers of right hand in Shikhara hasta. Touch the right thumb to the left palms middle finger. |
| Chakram | Chakra/wheel/disc | When the Palms in Ardhachandra mudra touch each other vertically and horizontally we get the Chakra Mudra. The right palm is vertically held and the left palm is horizontally placed over the it. |
| Samputam | Denotes a box | When the fingers in Chakra hasta are bent in such a way that there is a hollow at the center of the palm we get the Samputa Hasta. |
| Paasha | Paasha – quarrel/fight | Paasha – When the both the hands in Tamrachuda are interlocked with one another we get the Pasha hasta. |
| Kilakam | Kilakam – Love/friendship | Kilakam – When both the little fingers interlock each other we get the Kilaka Hasta. |
| Matsya | Fish | When the right palm is placed over the back of left palm both palm being in Ardhachandra hasta. |
| Kurma | Tortoise | While the hands are in chakra hasta bend all the fingers (except the thumb and the little fingers) and hold the palms tight. |
| Varaha | Boar | When both hands in Mrigashirsha hasta and the left palm is placed over the right palm we get the Varaha hasta. |
| Garuda | Vishnu’s vehicle/eagle | When both the hands in Ardhachandra hasta are placed over one another and only the Thumbs are interlocked we get the Garuda hasta. |
| Naagabandaka | Snakes twisting and coiling | When both hands held in sarpashirsha hasta is crossed at the wrists we get the Nagabandha hand gesture. |
| Katva | bed | When the ring finger and the middle finger of both hands are placed one over the other and the Index finger and the little fingers point downwards we get the Khatava hasta. |
| Berunda | Pair of birds | When hands in Kapitta hasta is held crossed at the wrists we get the Bhairunda hasta. |
| Avahitha | Two lotuses | When both hands held in Alapadma hasta are crossed at the wrists and placed near the chest we get the Avahitta hand gesture. |
ANUSHKA_GHUGE 