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By Swapnanil Barua

Dance is one of the most expressive and spiritual forms of human creativity. Across cultures and civilizations, it has served as a medium of storytelling, celebration, and devotion. In Indian classical dance, what distinguishes the performance most remarkably is the use of hand gestures, or mudras. These intricate movements are not merely aesthetic embellishments; they are the very language through which dancers communicate. To fully appreciate their significance, we must first understand the spiritual and cultural backdrop that shaped Indian dance—especially the philosophy of Vaishnavism. What follows are not the words of a scholar, but of an ardent dance lover who sees in every movement a story, in every gesture a prayer.

Assam, like Manipur and Kerala, is essentially a Vaishnavite state. The cultural and spiritual fabric of Assam is richly woven with threads of devotion, sustained by over one lakh Namghars (community prayer halls) and nearly eight hundred Sattras (Vaishnavite institutions). These centers of worship and art are not just places of prayer—they are living institutions where music, literature, drama, and dance converge to serve a single divine purpose: bhakti (devotion). The soul of this ecosystem is the Eka Sarana Nama Dharma, preached by Srimanta Sankaradeva. To be true to the spirit of the Sattriya dance form, every practitioner must subscribe to this philosophy. For only then can the dancer’s art align with its ultimate purpose—Bhakti (devotional love) and Muktisadhakam (the pursuit of spiritual liberation).

Vaishnavism is a major tradition within Hinduism that centers around the worship of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations—most notably Rama and Krishna. Over the centuries, several theological schools of Vaishnavism emerged, each contributing uniquely to religious, philosophical, and artistic life. These include Sri Vaishnavism, founded by Ramanujacharya, which emphasizes Vishnu’s grace mediated by Goddess Lakshmi; the Madhva Sampradaya, led by Madhvacharya, which stresses dualism between the soul and God; Gaudiya Vaishnavism of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, promoting ecstatic devotion to Radha and Krishna; Vallabhacharya’s Pushti Marg, which revolves around child Krishna in his most loving form; and the Nimbarka Sampradaya, which offers a dualistic-nondualistic interpretation of Radha-Krishna worship. These traditions have enriched Indian aesthetics, including music and dance, by embedding deep spiritual meaning into each artistic expression.

In Assam, Vaishnavism took on a profoundly unique and culturally transformative form through the contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva. Born in 1449, he was not only a religious reformer but also a cultural visionary who wove devotion into the very fabric of Assamese art and society. He introduced Eka Sarana Nama Dharma, a monotheistic devotional tradition that emphasized surrender to Lord Krishna, community over caste, and devotion over ritual. Through his innovations in literature, music, theater, and dance, Srimanta Sankaradeva brought spirituality closer to the masses.

Among his many creations, the Ankia Naat (devotional one-act plays) and Borgeet (classical devotional songs) stand out for their deep spiritual content and artistic brilliance. But perhaps his most enduring legacy in the realm of performance art is the Sattriya dance. Developed and practiced within Vaishnavite monasteries called sattras, Sattriya dance is a blend of grace, devotion, and spiritual storytelling. In 2000, it was recognized as one of the eight classical dance forms of India. In Sattriya, hand gestures are not just communicative tools—they are acts of devotion. Every mudra is a prayer, every movement an offering.

Across all Indian classical dance traditions, mudras play a central role. Codified in ancient treatises like the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni and the Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikeshwara, hand gestures are used to express actions, emotions, symbols, and spiritual concepts. These gestures are divided into single-hand (Asamyuta) and double-hand (Samyuta) categories, each with specific meanings. For instance, the Pataka mudra can symbolize a flag, the heavens, or even a denial, while Anjali represents greeting or offering. Yet these gestures are not bound to literal meanings; in the hands of a skilled dancer, they evoke entire mythologies and complex emotional states.

One of the most important yet lesser-known treatises that focuses exclusively on the use of hand gestures is the Sri Hastamuktawali, attributed to Subhankara. This Sanskrit text serves as both a technical guide and a philosophical resource for dancers. It extends the vocabulary of hand gestures beyond those found in the Natya Shastra, offering a wider range of expressive tools. The Sri Hastamuktawali doesn’t merely categorize gestures—it offers a spiritual framework that connects the movement of the hand with the movement of the soul. This work is especially significant in preserving the purity and diversity of mudras across generations, providing dancers with a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary performance.

Hand gestures serve multiple purposes in Indian dance. They act as narrative devices that help portray characters and stories from the epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavata Purana. They symbolize abstract concepts such as divinity, nature, or cosmic forces. They deepen emotional expression, bringing to life the nine rasas—love, heroism, wonder, laughter, anger, fear, disgust, peace, and compassion. They also serve a ritualistic function, transforming performance into a sacred offering. Finally, they enhance aesthetic experience, bringing grace and structure to the choreography.

Each classical dance form—be it Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, or Sattriya—relies heavily on mudras. In Bharatanatyam, gestures help depict devotional themes and mythological narratives. In Kathak, they blend with footwork and facial expression to bring Krishna’s playful stories to life. Odissi uses mudras both in invocations and expressive storytelling. Kathakali’s visual language is almost entirely dependent on hand gestures and facial expressions. Mohiniyattam’s gentle sway and Manipuri’s spiritual subtlety are anchored in delicate yet meaningful mudras. In Kuchipudi, hand gestures combine with dramatic dialogue to create vibrant theatrical storytelling.

Among these, Sattriya holds a special place due to its deeply devotional core. The mudras in Sattriya are not only informed by classical treatises but are also shaped by local context, language, and the bhakti tradition of Assam. They depict scenes from Krishna’s life, convey philosophical ideas, and serve as acts of devotion within a structured yet fluid framework. The dancer becomes both narrator and devotee, offering each gesture as an expression of surrender and love.

Indian classical dance is not just a performance—it is an offering, a discipline, a meditation. At its heart are the hand gestures that allow the dancer to transcend language and speak directly to the soul. The Sri Hastamuktawali preserves this sacred grammar, reminding us that each mudra is more than a symbol—it is a spiritual act. From the sacred halls of the sattra to the grand stages of temples and theaters, these gestures carry the wisdom, faith, and beauty of generations.

They are not just movements—they are memories, prayers, and poetry in motion. And as a humble lover of dance, I bow to every hand that tells a story, and every gesture that touches the soul.

[Lecture delivered in Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya on 28th May 2025]