Ancient 64 Kalas

It is often mentioned in the classical texts about the Chausath
Kalas i.e 64 Kalas (chausath – 64, kalas – arts) which existed in ancient India in Vedic times. The word Kala is been used in wide sense. Dance, drama, literature, fine arts etc are included in this list rounded.

Here is a brief introduction to the
64 kalas.
1) Geet vidya – art of singing.
2) Vadya vidya – art of playing on musical instruments.
3) Nritya vidya – art of dancing.
4) Natya vidya – art of theatricals.
5) Alekhya vidya – art of painting.
6) Viseshakacchedy a vidya – art of painting the face and body with color.
7) Tandula-kusuma- bali-vikara – art of preparing offerings from rice and flowers.
8) Pushpastarana – art of making a covering of flowers for a bed.
9) Dasana-vasanang a-raga – art of applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths and
painting the body.
10) Mani-bhumika-karma – art of making the groundwork of jewels.
11) Sayya-racana – art of covering the bed.
12) Udaka-vadya – art of playing on music in water.
13) Udaka-ghata – art of splashing with water.
14) Citra-yoga – art of practically applying an admixture of colors.
15) Malya-grathana- vikalpa – art of
designing a preparation of wreaths.
16) Sekharapida-yojana – art of
practically setting the coronet on the head.
17) Nepathya-yoga – art of practically
dressing in the tiring room.
18) Karnapatra-bhanga – art of
decorating the tragus of the ear.
19) Sugandha-yukti – art of practical
application of aromatics.
20) Bhushana-yojana – art of applying or setting ornaments.
21) Aindra-jala – art of juggling.
22) Kaucumara – kind of art.
23) Hasta-laghava – art of sleight of hand.
24) Citra-sakapupa- bhakshya-vikara -
kriya – art of preparing varieties
of delicious food.
25) Panaka-rasa-rag asava-yojana – art of practically preparing palatable drinks and and tinging draughts with red color.
26) Suci-vaya-karma – art of needleworks and weaving.
27) Sutra-krida – art of playing with thread.
28) Vina-damuraka-vadya – art of playing on lute and small drum.
29) Prahelika – art of making and solving riddles.
30) Durvacaka-yoga – art of practicing language difficult to be answered by others.
31) Pustaka-vacana – art of reciting books.
32) Natikakhyayika- darsana – art of
enacting short plays and anecdotes.
33) Kavya-samasya-p urana – art of solving enigmatic verses.
34) Pattika-vetra-bana-vikalpa – art of
designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows.
35) Tarku-karma – art of spinning by spindle.
36) Takshana – art of carpentry.
37) Vastu-vidya – art of engineering.
38) Dhatu-vada – art of metallurgy.
39) Raupya-ratna-pariksha – art of
testing silver and jewels.
40) Mani-raga jnana – art of tinging jewels.
41) Akara jnana – art of mineralogy.
42) Vrikshayur-veda -yoga – art of practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs.
43) Mesha-kukkuta-lavaka-yuddha-vidhi – art of knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks and birds.
44) Suka-sarika-prapalana (pralapana) – art of maintaining
or knowing conversation between male and female
cockatoos.
45) Utsadana – art of healing or cleaning a person with perfumes.
46) Kesa-marjana-kausala – art of
combing hair.
47) Akshara-mushtika-kathana – art of talking with letters and fingers.
48) Mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa – art of
fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry.
49) Desa-bhasha-jnana – art of
knowing provincial dialects.
50) Nirmiti-jnana – art of knowing
prediction by heavenly voice.
51) Yantra-matrika – art of mechanics.
52) Dharana-matrika – art of the use of amulets.
53) Samvacya – art of conversation.
54) Manasi kavya-kriya – art of composing verse mentally.
55) Kriya-vikalpa – art of designing a literary work or a medical remedy.
56) Chalitaka-yoga – art of practicing as a builder of shrines called after him.
57) Abhidhana-kosha -cchando-jnana – art of the use of lexicography and meters.
58) Vastra-gopana – art of concealment of cloths.
59) Dyuta-visesha – art of knowing
specific gambling.
60) Akarsha-krida – art of playing with dice or magnet.
61) Balaka-kridanaka – art of using children’s toys.
62) Vainayiki vidya – art of enforcing
discipline.
63) Vaijayiki vidya – art of gaining victory.
64) Vaitaliki vidya – art of awakening
master with music at dawn.
http://www.64kalas.com/ancient-64-kalas/