Essay name: Hastalaksanadipika a critical edition and study
Author:
E. K. Sudha
Affiliation: Government Sanskrit College (Tripunithura) / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study on the Hastalaksanadipika—a manual depicting the Mudras (gestures) of the Kerala theatre. It is a very popular text supposedly dating to the 10th century A.D. This study also touches the subject of Krsnanattam, Kathakali and Kutiyattam—some of India's oldest theatrical traditions in Kerala.
Chapter 2 - Bharata’s Dramaturgy
45 (of 56)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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necessarilly theatrical elements in themselves. When a dancer dances on the the stage just to exhibit his art, or a singer sings, there is no Natyadharmi, even as there is Natyadharmi in Figure Skating or acrobatics. When within a drama, a court dancer dances before the king, there is no Natyadharmi. But when such things are attributed to persons of the drama acting in life situations, then they become a theatrical gesture relative to the realistic norms assumed by the drama. (iii) Angika: Angikabhinaya is divided by Bharata into three parts. (1) Mukhaja: Gestures by the face dominated by movements of the head (13) glances, (36) looks, (8) movements of the eyelids, (9) of the eyebrows (7) of the cheeks, (6) of the chin, (7) of the face (6), of the neck (9) colour of the face, (4) movements of the lower lip, (6) etc. These are natural components of expressions and do not involve Natyadharmi. (2) Sarira: Movements of the various limbs of the body comprising the hands and the feet primarily, of which the dance steps and various gaits, jumps, etc. are composed. There are the gestures of the hands (hastamudrās) and a number of dance 'hands' also (mudrās called Nṛttahastas) which are used both for dancing and representation. 3. Cestakṛta: This is the abhinaya constituted by the movement of the whole body, eg. various gaits (cāris), standing and sitting 77
