In Islam, when someone prays, they take ‘Abhaya Mudra’ with both hands.” Gandhi also observed the gesture in images of Jesus Christ and Mahatma Buddha, emphasising its universal significance.

He went on to mention ‘abhaya mudra’, the image of an open palm, and said this was common to depictions of Lord Shiva, the Guru Nanak and Jesus Christ, and figured also in Islam, Buddhism and ...