Mudra

noun

/muˈdrɑː/

A symbolic or ritual hand gesture used in Indian classical dance, yoga, Hindu and Buddhist iconography to convey specific meanings, emotions, or spiritual concepts; the Natyashastra describes 24 basic mudras and the Abhinaya Darpana lists 28.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Just as a mudra silently communicates intent without a single spoken word, India's soft-power diplomacy projects its civilisational ethos through gestures of cultural exchange rather than coercion, allowing classical art, yoga and philosophy to serve as instruments of statecraft.

Synonyms

gesturehand-posesignhastasymbolic gestureposture

🌱 Word Family

mudrā (Sanskrit n.), mudras (English pl.), hasta-mudra (compound n.), chin mudra (compound n.)

🔡 Root

Sanskrit mudrā = seal, stamp, mark; related to concept of imprinting meaning through gesture

📜 Etymology

From Sanskrit mudrā ("seal, stamp, mark"), related to the concept of imprinting meaning through gesture; the term was later adopted in yoga and meditation traditions.

🧠 Memory Hook

Mudra contains "mud" plus "-ra" — picture pressing your hand like a SEAL into soft mud, leaving a meaningful imprint; the Sanskrit mudra literally means 'seal'.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2016 — Financial Inclusion
Prelims 2012 — Art & Culture

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Mudra” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Classical Dance Forms of India

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