Art is one of the cultural activities of man through which the artiste brings his ideas, values, feelings, aspirations and reactions to life. The generic purpose of art is to provide aesthetic experience and enjoyment to the recipient. Art give outlet to the artist himself to reveal and express his innermost aspirations, feelings, sentiments and […]
In the 20th chapter of the Natyasastra, Bharata describes the 10 types of plays under the heading ‘Dasharupavikalpan’. Here, the term ‘Rupaka’ is used in the context of visual representation. Hence, in Bharatha’s theory, the term Rupaka is equivalent to drama and not to the current popular term ‘naatak’ which according to him is one […]
“Atodhya Vadya,” as mentioned by Bharata in Chapter 28 of the Natya Shastra, categorizes musical instruments into four types: Tata (stringed), Avanaddha (percussion), Sushira (wind), and Ghana (solid resonators). This classification, based on acoustic principles, highlights the diverse and intricate nature of ancient Indian musical traditions. Tata– Included all stringed instruments, mentioned in Chapter 29 […]
ABHINAYA TECHNIQUES IN BHARATA’S NATYASHASTRA The Natyashastra of Bharata consists of thirty – six chapters, out of which chapters 6 and 7 relate to “rasas” (sentiments) and “bhavas” (emotions), 8 to 14 discuss Angigaabhinaya, 15 to 22 deal with Vachikaabhinaya and chapter 23 talks of Ahaaryaabhinaya. The Sanskrit word “rasa” fundamentally means ‘taste’ or ‘flavour’ […]
The art of Music and Dance, which was well developed during Vedic age itself, has been systematized by Bharata in his Natyashastra. He condensed and codified the necessary laws which govern music, dance and drama. Not only these three but all that are essential to the authors and actors like the knowledge of grammar, prosody, […]
This research study by Ms. Rashmi Khanna was published in the UGC approved journal STOM in its 2024 special issue.
All the different styles of Bharatnatyam stem from the Natya Sastra and follow the prescribed pattern of the Sadir Katcheri evolved in the 18th century starting with the Alaripu and concluding with the Tillana. The differences, if any, are very slight and purely regional in flavour depend upon the environmental conditioning of that particular area […]
“Abhinaya Darpanam” is a Sanskrit treatise dedicated to Indian classical dances, offering a comprehensive exploration of dance movements and expressions. The entire text is composed in a poetic form known as ‘padya,’ primarily employing meters such as ‘Anushtupa chhand,’ ‘Sragdhara,’ and ‘Shardulvikridit.’ This format facilitates the method of ‘memorizing and recitation’ for knowledge acquisition, aligning […]
Kalidasa, the renowned poet-dramatist of ancient India, left a lasting mark on the association between literature and dance. His many works offer exquisite insights into the art of dance, aligning perfectly with the principles of the Natyashastra. This introduction unveils Kalidasa’s deep understanding of dance, weaving together the elaborate relationship between his literary brilliance and […]
Hasta Lakshana Deepika is a text exploring the hand gestures used in dancing. The words “Hasta Lakshana Deepika” mean ‘The Lamp which shows the purpose of Hand Gestures’. Koodiyaatam, Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Kerala Natanam follow this as the manual of gestures or ‘mudras’. The Kerala tradition’s hand gestures are recognized to be from the scripture […]