Gestures Intro
Shortly after a verse honoring the gods, the author of the Hastalakshanadipika innumerates the gesture alphabet.
Below (3.1 through 9.4) are 24 gestures that constitute the alphabet of hand gestures mentioned in the Hastalakshanadipika, as performed by kutiyattam artists. They are noted as follows:
| 3.1 pataka | 3.2 mudrakya | 3.3 kataka | 3.4 musthi | 4.1 kartarimukha | 4.2 sukatunda |
| 4.3 kapitha | 5.1 hamsapaksha | 5.2 sikhara | 5.3 hamsasya | 5.4 anjali | 6.1 ardhacandra |
| 6.2 mukura | 6.3 bhramara | 6.4 suchikamukha | 7.1 pallava | 7.2 tripataka | 7.3 mrgasirsa |
| 8.1 sarpasirsa | 8.2 vardhamanaka | 9.1 arala | 9.2 urnanabha | 9.3 mukula | 9.4 katakamukha |
In this first film, Sri Kalamandalam Raman Cakyar renders the signs in sequence. The number of every gesture corresponds to the line of the text followed by it’s location within the line. Follow along as Sri Cakyar recites the names.
Kalamandalam Raman Cakyar (front view)
| 3.1 pataka | 3.2 mudrakya | 3.3 kataka | 3.4 musthi | 4.1 kartarimukha | 4.2 sukatunda |
| 4.3 kapitha | 5.1 hamsapaksha | 5.2 sikhara | 5.3 hamsasya | 5.4 anjali | 6.1 ardhacandra |
| 6.2 mukura | 6.3 bhramara | 6.4 suchikamukha | 7.1 pallava | 7.2 tripataka | 7.3 mrgasirsa |
| 8.1 sarpasirsa | 8.2 vardhamanaka | 9.1 arala | 9.2 urnanabha | 9.3 mukula | 9.4 katakamukha |
The following two movies are filmed from the front, as well as from the side. They show a young artist and student of kutiyattam. His name is Sri Hari and he is the son of Margi Madhu and his mother Indu G. The artists live in Muzhikkulam village, Kerala.
The system of reciting and executing the alphabet is still very much alive among exponents of kutiyattam.
Sri Hari (front view)
| 3.1 pataka | 3.2 mudrakya | 3.3 kataka | 3.4 musthi | 4.1 kartarimukha | 4.2 sukatunda |
| 4.3 kapitha | 5.1 hamsapaksha | 5.2 sikhara | 5.3 hamsasya | 5.4 anjali | 6.1 ardhacandra |
| 6.2 mukura | 6.3 bhramara | 6.4 suchikamukha | 7.1 pallava | 7.2 tripataka | 7.3 mrgasirsa |
| 8.1 sarpasirsa | 8.2 vardhamanaka | 9.1 arala | 9.2 urnanabha | 9.3 mukula | 9.4 katakamukha |
Sri Hari (side view)
Finally, Margi Madhu, a major exponent of the Pothiyil Cakyar family, renders each of the signs. Although the film is silent captions have been added to assist those who are unfamiliar with the alphabet.
| 3.1 pataka | 3.2 mudrakya | 3.3 kataka | 3.4 musthi | 4.1 kartarimukha | 4.2 sukatunda |
| 4.3 kapitha | 5.1 hamsapaksha | 5.2 sikhara | 5.3 hamsasya | 5.4 anjali | 6.1 ardhacandra |
| 6.2 mukura | 6.3 bhramara | 6.4 suchikamukha | 7.1 pallava | 7.2 tripataka | 7.3 mrgasirsa |
| 8.1 sarpasirsa | 8.2 vardhamanaka | 9.1 arala | 9.2 urnanabha | 9.3 mukula | 9.4 katakamukha |
Margi Madhu (front view)
| 3.1 pataka | 3.2 mudrakya | 3.3 kataka | 3.4 musthi | 4.1 kartarimukha | 4.2 sukatunda |
| 4.3 kapitha | 5.1 hamsapaksha | 5.2 sikhara | 5.3 hamsasya | 5.4 anjali | 6.1 ardhacandra |
| 6.2 mukura | 6.3 bhramara | 6.4 suchikamukha | 7.1 pallava | 7.2 tripataka | 7.3 mrgasirsa |
| 8.1 sarpasirsa | 8.2 vardhamanaka | 9.1 arala | 9.2 urnanabha | 9.3 mukula | 9.4 katakamukha |
