Kalā

Kalā means 'performing art' in Sanskrit. In Hindu scriptures, Shiva is regarded as the master of Kalā. In the Lalita Sahasranama, the Devi is invoked as an embodiment of the 64 fine arts. In some traditions, the goddess Sarasvati is also associated with these 64 kalās, and is thus referred to as Kalanidhi or Chausath Kalamayi (the one who possesses 64 arts).

==64 Arts== The mastery of 64 skills is known as Chatuṣṣaṣṭi Kalā. The discussion of these arts is found in the Kama Sutra, attributed to the sage Vatsyayana. The following is a commonly cited list of the 64 traditional arts: Gīta vidyā – Singing Vādya vidyā – Playing on musical instruments Nṛtya vidyā – Dancing Nāṭya vidyā – Theatrical performance Ālekhya vidyā – Painting Viśeṣaka-cchēdya vidyā – Body decoration with colours Tāṇḍula-kusuma-balivikāra – Preparing offerings from rice and flowers Puṣpastaraṇa – Making floral arrangements for beds Danta-vasanāṅga-rāga – Applying perfumes and cleansing products Maṇi-bhūmikā-karma – Crafting jewel settings Śayyā-racana – Arranging bedding Udaka-vādya – Making music with water Udaka-ghāta – Playing or splashing with water Citra-yoga – Mixing and applying colours Mālya-grathana-vikalpa – Making garlands Śekharāpīḍa-yojana – Setting headgear or coronets Nēpathyayoga – Dressing and costume design Karṇapātra-bhaṅga – Decorating the ear’s tragus Sugandha-yukti – Application of fragrances Bhūṣaṇa-yojana – Applying ornaments Aindra-jāla – Juggling or sleight of hand Kaucumāra – Knowledge of mystic arts Hasta-lāghava – Manual dexterity or sleight of hand Citra-śākā-pūpa-bhakṣya-vikāra-kriyā – Preparing decorative and tasty dishes Pānaka-rasa-rāgāsava-yojana – Preparing drinks Sūci-vāya-karma – Needlework and weaving Sūtra-kṛīḍā – Playing with threads Vīṇā-ḍamaruka-vādya – Playing the vīṇā and small drums Prahelikā – Making and solving riddles Durvacaka-yoga – Solving complex speech or conundrums Pustaka-vācana – Recitation of books Nāṭikā-khyāyikā-darśana – Enacting stories or plays Kāvya-samasya-pūraṇa – Completing poetic verses Paṭṭikā-vetra-bāṇa-vikalpa – Making weapons and shields Tarku-karma – Spinning by spindle Takṣaṇa – Carpentry Vāstu-vidyā – Architecture Raupya-ratna-parīkṣā – Testing of silver and gemstones Dhātu-vāda – Metallurgy Maṇi-rāga-jñāna – Knowledge of jewel colouring Ākāra-jñāna – Mineralogy Vṛkṣāyurveda-yoga – Herbal medicine and healing Meṣa-kukkuṭa-lāvaka-yuddha-vidhi – Knowledge of animal fighting Śuka-sārikā-pralāpana – Training parrots and mynah birds to speak Utsādana – Personal hygiene and massage Keśa-mārjana-kauśala – Hair care and styling Akṣara-muṣṭika-kathana – Communication with hand gestures Dhāraṇa-mātrikā – Using protective amulets Deśa-bhāṣā-jñāna – Knowledge of regional dialects Nirmiti-jñāna – Knowledge of omens and predictions Yantra-mātrikā – Mechanics and machine crafting Mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa – Understanding and responding to foreign logic Saṁvācya – Conversation and speech Mānasi kāvya-kriyā – Mental composition of poetry Kriyā-vikalpa – Designing remedies and treatments Calitaka-yoga – Constructing shrines Abhidhāna-kośa-chanda-jñāna – Knowledge of lexicons and prosody Vastra-gopana – Concealment of clothing Dyūta-viśeṣa – Mastery of gambling Ākarṣa-kṛīḍā – Playing with dice or magnets Bālaka-kṛīḍanaka – Making toys Vainayikī vidyā – Teaching discipline Vaijayikī vidyā – Military strategy or achieving victory Vaitālikī vidyā – Waking someone with music