Finger Mudras

Title: Finger Mudras

General Information about Item:

Informant Data:

Arvin Kumaran is a male Dartmouth student in the class of 2021. He was born and continues to reside in Boston, MA. He was raised in a predominantly Hindu household, and he continues to practice Hindu meditation, which he learned from his parents who moved to the United States from India right before his birth.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: Finger Mudras are ritualistic hand gestures that are very prevalent within the Dharmic religions of India and Southeast Asia, specifically Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The practice of ritual Mudras is incredibly ancient, with examples dating back to the Vedic Period around 1500 BCE. The term “Mudra” is Sanskrit for “Gesture”, and they are commonly seen in the context of classical dance, meditation, tantric practices, and religious iconography.
Social Context: Arvin first learned Mudras from his parents, who taught them to him in the context of practicing Hindu meditation. In this context, Mudras are used as a physical way for one to get into contact with their inner spirit, and they are also used as a way to nonverbally communicate your current state.

Item:

The Abhaya Mudra is one of the most ubiquitous Mudras both within meditation and religious iconography, and it is most commonly performed by sitting and holding your right-hand upright with the fingers together and the palm facing out. Within the context of Buddhism, this gesture is meant to convey protection, peace, and the dispelling of fear, as it was believed to be performed by Gautama Buddha when he was attacked by an elephant. Prior to the onset of Buddhism, this gesture was believed to be performed when two strangers met each other, meant to convey good intentions and friendship. There are a vast number of variations of this Mudra across cultures, for instance, in Thailand and Laos it is performed uniformly in a standing position with both right and left hands presented.

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Collector’s Name: Roy Dritley

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Dartmouth Folklore Archive