Angalakshana Part 6 - Mandalas

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Mandalas or the standing position can be further divided into the following. It is very important for the students of classical dance to learn the Mandala Bheda as it will help in understanding the instructions of the Guru clearly. As we have already seen, there are 10 types of Mandalas. They are as follows :


  1.  Sthanakam : Stand Straight with Ardhachandra Hasta on the waist 
  2. Aayata :  Keep 12 inch distance between the feet and bending the knees a little. 
  3. Aalida : Keep the right foot 3 feet in front of the left foot, holding shikhara hasta in the left and
    katakamukha hasta in right hand 
  4. Prenkhana : Stand with one foot on the knee of the other and holding koorma hasta 
  5. Prerita : Hit the floor hard with one leg, bend the knees, keep the other foot a little futher, hold
    shikhara in one hand, near the chest and pataka in another, stretched away 
  6. Prtyaalida : Opposite of Aaleedha 
  7. Swastika : Keep right leg across the left leg and right hand across the left hand
  8. Motita : Sit on toes, touch the ground with knees, altenatively 
  9. Samasoochi : Toch the ground with toes & knees 
  10. Paarsvasoochi : Sit on toes, touch the ground withone of the knees in one side katakamukha hasta in right hand  

Sthanaka Mandala is further classified as

Samapaada  : Stand Straight. While worshipping the god this is used.
Ekapaada : Stand with one foot on the knee of the other.To show a Saint in Penance
Naagabandha :Twist one leg with the other & one hand with the other. To show a pair of snakes
 Aindra : Bend one of the legs little and lift the knee of the other and keep the hands as usual. To show Indra this is used.
Garuda : Bend the left leg keeping the foot completely on the floor, bend the right leg and sit on the right leg. This is used to show the bird Garuda, Lord Vishnu's Vehicle.
Brahma :Sit down, cross the feet like Padmasana. This is used to show meditation. 




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