Gestures in Bharata Natyam

 
Abhinaya is a Sanskrit term meaning (abhi -'towards'; ni-'to carry').  Thus it means reaching a performance to the audience.   The main aspect of dance, the four-fold abhinayas are Angika (Expression through body), Vachika (Expression through speech), Aharya (Expression through ornaments) and Satvika (the refinement of the soul). 

Angika Abinaya is the use of gestures.  There are slight variations in the numbers of gestures mentioned in the  Natyasastra &  Abhinayadarpana, but most of them have common names & definitions. 

Head 
Natyasastra mentions thirteen gestures 
Abhinayadarpana mentions nine gestures 

Eyes (No common names in the 2 works) 
Natyasastra mentions three main classes gestures (The first two classes are further divided into eight varieties each & the the third class has twenty varieties.) 
Abhinayadarpana mentions 8 gestures 

Neck (No common names in the 2 works) 
Natyasastra mentions four gestures 
Abhinayadarpana mentions nine gestures 

Hands  (Both works mention 3 classes.  There are several gestures with common names, but the no. of gestures in each class varies) 
Single-hand gestures: twenty-two gestures with common names 
 
Natyasastra 
Single-hand gestures: twenty-four 
Combined-hand gestures: thirteen 
Nrtta-hastas: twenty-seven 

Abhinayadarpana 
Single-hand gestures: twenty-eight 
Combined-hand gestures: twenty-three 
Nrtta-hastas: thirteen 

Total number of hand gestures in Natyasastra - sixty-four 
Total number of hand gestures in Abhinayadarpana  - fifty-one
  
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