Abhinaya Darpana
अभिनयदर्पणSanskritSay it: a · bhi · na · ya · dar · pa · ṇa
- ṇ — n with the tongue tip curled back
- bh, dh, gh… — the consonant with a breath of air after it
The 'Mirror of Gesture' — the practical manual of expression.
ConceptBharatanatyamKuchipudiOdissiKathak
Meaning
Attributed to Nandikeshvara, the Abhinaya Darpana is a compact treatise concentrating on gesture: the hastas, head, eye and neck movements and their usage. It is the text most directly consulted in teaching mudras, and shorter and more practical than the Natyashastra.
Also written: abhinayadarpana, abhinaya darpanam