What is Natya Shastra?

iThe Nitya Shastra (N?tya shastra ????? ???????) of Bharata is the principal work of dramatic theory, encompassing dance and music, in classical India. It is attributed to the muni (sage) Bharata and is believed to have been written during the period between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E. The Natya Shastra is the outcome of several centuries of theatrical practice by hereditary actors, who passed their tradition orally from generation to generation. It is in the form of a loose dialog between Bharata and a number of munis who approach him, asking about n??yaveda (lit. n??ya= drama, performance; veda= knowledge).The ‘‘Natya Shastra’’ discusses a wide range of topics, from issues of literary construction, to the structure of the stage or mandapa, to a detailed analysis of musical scales and movements (murchhanas), to an analysis of dance forms that considers several categories of body movements and their effect on the viewer. The ‘‘Natya Shastra’’ posits that drama originated because of the conflicts that arose in society when the world declined from the Golden Age (K?ta Yuga) of harmony, and therefore a drama always represents a conflict and its resolution. Bharata’s theory of drama refers to bhavas, the imitations of emotions that the actors perform, and the rasas (emotional responses) that they inspire in the audience. The eight basic bhavas (emotions) are: love, humor, energy, anger, fear, grief, disgust and astonishment. In observing and imagining these emotions, the audience experiences eight principal responses, or rasas: love, pity, anger, disgust, heroism, awe, terror and comedy. The text contains a set of precepts on the writing and performance of dance, music and theater, and while it primarily deals with stagecraft, it has influenced Indian music, dance, sculpture, painting and literature as well. Thus, the Natya Shastra is considered the foundation of the fine arts in India. read less