Anjali Mudra (añjali mudrā): The Palms-Together Gesture and What It Means
अञ्जलि मुद्राañjali mudrā
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 27 September 2026
Anjali mudra is the palms-together gesture at the chest that accompanies namaste — a greeting, a salutation and a way of gathering attention.
In short
- Añjali means the hollow formed by two cupped hands, as if carrying water or an offering.
- It is the everyday Indian greeting gesture, used far beyond yoga.
- In practice it opens and closes sun salutations and marks the top of tadasana.
- Variants place the hands at the heart, at the brow, or overhead.
- Light contact is enough; pressing hard tightens the shoulders and jaw.
Derivation
Añjali names the hollow made by holding two hands together — the shape used to carry water or present an offering. Mudrā is a seal or gesture. The compound describes the joined palms rather than a prayer in the Western sense.
The gesture
Bring the palms together in front of the sternum, fingers pointing up, thumbs resting lightly against the breastbone, elbows soft and wide rather than clamped to the ribs. Some teachers leave a small hollow between the palms so the hands cup rather than flatten; either is fine.
Where it appears
Outside yoga entirely, it is the gesture that accompanies namaste or namaskar in daily Indian life. Within practice it opens and closes sun salutations, marks the top of tadasana, and holds the hands during seated chanting. It runs throughout Hindu, Buddhist and Jain art, and appears in Thailand as the wai.
Why it is used
Pressing the palms together evens the shoulders and gives the upper body a clear midline, which is genuinely useful at the start of a sequence. Traditionally it is read as bringing the two sides — right and left, sun and moon, active and receptive — into one place before practice begins.
Variations
At the heart for most purposes; at the brow as a mark of greater reverence; overhead in urdhva hastasana at the start of a salutation. As a standing posture with the hands at the heart it is sometimes called pranamasana.
Where this is practised here
Questions people ask
+ Is anjali mudra a prayer gesture?
+ Where should the hands be held?
+ Should the palms press hard together?
References
- Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, entry for añjali.
- Gheranda Samhita, chapter 3 (on mudra generally).
Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.