To communicate ideas through gesture and posture is called “mudrá”. In the East, we find that dance is dominated by mudrá, and in the West, we find that it is dominated by rhythm. Indian folk dance and classical dance are also mudrá-dominant. Mudrá is more subtle than rhythm.

What is saḿgiita or music? Singing, the playing of instruments and dancing are together called “saḿgiita”. Where there is only singing and the playing of instruments but no dance, it is called “giita”. In the time of the Mahábhárata, what Krśńa said was called “Giitá” because He only told it, He did not dance. If Krśńa had explained the nature of Dharma while dancing, then it would not have been called “Giitá”, it would have been called “Saḿgiita”.

“Yá Bhagavatá giitá sá Giitá.”

“Whatever Bhagaván has said is Giitá.”

There are six primary rágas and thirty six primary rágińiis. Today we find two types of dance in India. First, there is Aryavarta Nrtya or North Indian style. Secondly, there is Dákśinátya Nrtya or Carnatic or the South Indian style. Both styles were given by Lord Shiva, but credit for bringing them to the public goes to Maharshi Bharata.

In the Vedas there is rhythm, because most of the Vedas come from outside India. The propagators of the Veda could not go against rhythm. They had to accept rhythm but not grammar. For this reason, there are many grammatical mistakes in the Vedas.

In Tantra, mudrá is dominant. Rhythm is guided by mudrá. In a few places, the Vedas also use mudrá. For example, in shráddha (last rites) there is pińd́adán mudrá which is also called “auṋkush mudrá”. In pitr yajiṋa, there are also mudrás, which are called namah mudrá, abhaya mudrá, varada mudrá, etc., are found in the Vedas. The portion of the Vedas which was made in India [like the Atharvaveda] is responsible for these mudrás.

Instrumental music is also based on mudrá. In western countries, only instruments such as the violin are based on mudrá. Mańipurii dance, folk dance, Cho dance and Rámvásha dance, all have a predominance of mudrá. Rámvásha dance has less mudrá because it is a war dance. Cho dance⁽¹⁾, which is performed after battle during times of rest in the military camp, has more mudrá in it. The dancer only dances, and does not sing. Another person sings and narrates in song what is taking place. In the táńd́ava nrtya of Lord Shiva, there is more rhythm, and in Parvatii’s lalita dance there is the dominance of mudrá, sweet and refined. Both these dances make a person tired quickly in India because India is a hot country.

In the word “tál”, “tá” is derived from táńd́ava and “la” from lalita, so it has become tál. Tál is the adjustment of both, that is why it has become more popular.

Footnotes

(1) Cho means unusual gestures, or decorative dress or adornments. Cho dance is an ancient martial dance with decorative dress still very popular in Ráŕh areas. –Trans.