Aramandi — The Foundation
Almost all of Bharatanatyam is danced in Aramandi (also called Ardhamandali) — a half-sitting posture with the knees bent outward and the heels together, the back straight and the weight balanced. This grounded, open stance gives the form its characteristic stability and its powerful, earth-connected quality. Holding a clean Aramandi is demanding; it builds the leg strength and control on which everything else depends. A deeper full-sit is called Muzhumandi.
Adavus — The Step-Units
Adavus are the basic units of pure dance — combinations of foot, leg, arm, and hand positions performed to rhythmic syllables. They are the 'alphabet' of Bharatanatyam, traditionally grouped into families (such as Tatta, Natta, Visharu, Tattimetti, and Korvai adavus). A student spends months drilling Adavus before combining them into longer compositions, just as a musician practises scales before playing a raga.
Sollukattu — Speaking the Rhythm
The footwork of Bharatanatyam is married to spoken rhythmic syllables called sollukattu (for example, 'tha-ka-dhi-mi' or 'tei-ya-tei'). The Nattuvanar recites or beats these on the cymbals (nattuvangam) while the mridangam drum supports the pulse. Learning to internalise these syllables is essential — the feet must speak the rhythm as clearly as the voice.
Hasta Mudras — The Language of Hands
Bharatanatyam uses a rich vocabulary of hand gestures called Hastas or Mudras. The Asamyuta Hastas are single-hand gestures (the classical canon lists twenty-eight), and the Samyuta Hastas are double-hand gestures (around twenty-four). A single gesture such as Pataka (flat hand) can represent dozens of meanings depending on context — a cloud, a forest, a blessing, denial. Mastering mudras is mastering the dance's vocabulary of meaning.
The Eyes and Neck Follow the Hand
A classical maxim states: 'Where the hand goes, the eyes follow; where the eyes go, the mind follows; where the mind goes, there is Bhava; and where Bhava is, there Rasa arises.' This is why Bharatanatyam trains the eyes (Drishti) and neck (Griva) movements as carefully as the feet — expression is a whole-body discipline, not just a matter of the face.