Preface

i PREFACE Hastalaksanadipika is a manual depicting the mudras of the Kerala theatre. It is a very popular text in Kerala. The author is unknown. The date of the work is assumed as around 10th century A.D.. The present work is based on the paper manuscript No. 213 available at the Manuscript Library at the Government Sanskrit College, Tripunithura. Even though the book bears the title Hastamudradipika, nowhere else in the text the title is mentioned. The word Hastalaksanadipika is consistently used. Therefore in the thesis also the title Hastalaksanadipika is accepted. The work is done as two parts. Part I is the study of the Hastalaksanadipika (Hasta-Lakshana-Deepika), Bharatas dramaturgy, Concept of abhinaya, Natyadharmi and Lokadharmi, Views of the authors of the Abhinaya-darpana and the Balarama-bharata and The Hastalaksanadipika (Hasta-Lakshana-Deepika) - author - His date are dealt with here. Comparison of the mudras of the Natyashastra, the Abhinaya-darpana, the Balarama-bharata and those of the Hastalaksanadipika (Hasta-Lakshana-Deepika), Comparison of Vedic and Tantric mudras are also done in this part. Part II consists of translation and critical edition based on the aforesaid manuscript and one printed text. The printed text is the one edited by Sri Tiruvangattu Narayanan Nambisan, published in 1958 by K.R.Brothers, Kozhikkode, printed at K.R.Brothers Acchukudam Kozhikkode. Other printed texts are seen which are merely the copies of the Tiruvangattu Narayanam Nambisan All efforts to get manuscript or other printed materials of different versions ended in vain. The last part of the manuscript i.e. the

11 svaras of Kutiyattom is edited with the Natyakalpadruma of Mani Madhava Cakyar published in 1996. (Second Edition) by the Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy. The edition is followed by the critical notes. I hope that present work will be helpful to know about the Hastalaksanadipika (Hasta-Lakshana-Deepika) in detail, the Kerala theatre and the tradition of Indian dramaturgy in general. I am indeed happy to express my gratitude to the authorities and institutions which helped me to complete my research work. I am very much thankful to Dr. C. Sukumaran, Head of Department of Sanskrit Sahitya, Government Sanskrit College, Tripunithura who gave me guidance. I am very much indebted to Sri. C.P.Unnikrishnan [BSc Hons, MSc Zoology, Diploma (Vedanta), Diploma (Natyasastra)], Head of Department of Zoology, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Ernakulam who is well-versed in the Natyashastra, the Abhinaya-darpana, and the Balarama-bharata, a connoisseur of the art forms of Kerala, a physiologist, a performing artist and who is in charge of the Research, Academic and Production faculties - Sri Sankara School of Dance, Kalady without whose efficient and exemplary guidance I could not have completed my research work. Dr. K.G.Paulose, Principal, Government Sanskrit College, Tripunithura helped me a lot by giving valuable suggestions and moulding up the ideas for my thesis.

iii My sincere thanks to Dr. N.P.Unni, formerly Vice Chanceller, Sri Sankara University of Sanskrit, Kalady who helped me by giving research materials and clearing my doubts. I am very much obliged to Padmasri Guru Ammannur Madhava Cakyar for spending his precious time with me for clearing my doubts about the mudras and svaras of Kutiyattom. I remember here Sri. R.L.V. Damodara Pisarody with reverance from whom I studied the mudras of Kathakali which formed the practical basis of my research work. I am thankful to Sri. Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair, formerly Principal, the Kerala Kalamandalam for clearing my doubts about the mudras of Kathakali. I am very much grateful to Dr. Mrs. Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Vice President, Margi, Thiruvananthapuram whose article helped me a lot to prepare the chapter on Vacikabhinaya. My heart-felt thanks are due to Prof. (Dr.) K. Rajappan, formerly Professor and Head of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, who helped me by giving the copy of the Tiruvangattu Narayanam Nambisan I am greatly indebted to Artist K.K.Warrier and Miss Ambily Joseph of Indian School of Arts, Ernakulam for rendering excellent assistance in the preparation of graphics and the D.T.P. work.

I express my thanks to all the scholars and artists with whom I consulted and whose works I referred to for my work. I offer my sincere thanks to all members of the teaching and non-teaching Staff of Government Sanskrit College, Tripunithura and my friends for helping me whole-heartedly throughout the period of my research. My thanks to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam for completing the thesis. Tripunithura Date : 09-07-2001 Andhalik Sudha E.K. iv