Natyashastra

Natyashastra Latest News

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) recently organised the academic programme titled ‘Natyashastra – Synthesis of Theory and Praxis’ during the 20th Session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the iconic Red Fort, Delhi.

About Natyashastra

• It is an ancient Sanskrit treatise on performing arts.
• The title is a combination of two Sanskrit words – Natya and Shastra. 
  • Natya refers to the technique of dance and drama, and shastra refers to science.
• It was composed by the sage Bharata Muni.
• It has been dated to between the second century BCE and the second century CE. 
• It is the earliest known treatise on performative arts in South Asia. 
• Its primary importance lies in its justification of Indian drama as a vehicle of religious enlightenment.
• It comprises around 36,000 verses detailing drama (natya), performance (abhinaya), music (sangita), emotions (bhava), and aesthetic experience (rasa).
• One of the text’s most profound contributions is the articulation of the concept of Rasa, the essential emotional essence that lies at the heart of any great work of art. 
  • Bharata Muni identified eight primary Rasas – Shringara (love), Hasya (humor), Karuna (compassion), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism), Bhayanaka (fear), Bibhatsa (disgust), and Adbhuta (wonder).
  • He also explained how the skilled performer, through the skillful deployment of bhava (emotional expression), could evoke these sentiments in the audience.
• UNESCO added Natyashastra to its Memory of the World Register, recognizing its global cultural significance.

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Key Facts about Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)

• It was established as an autonomous body by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Culture.
• Mandate: 
  • Document, preserve, conserve and disseminate the Indian arts and cultural heritage.
  • Train competent professionals to work in the specialized field of culture. 
• The IGNCA has six functional units:
  • Kalanidhi, the multi-form library; 
  • Kalakosa, devoted mainly to the study and publication of fundamental texts, predominantly in Sanskrit; 
  • Janapada Sampada, the division engaged in lifestyle studies; 
  • Kaladarsana, the executive unit which transforms researches and studies emanating from the IGNCA into visible forms through exhibitions; 
  • Cultural Informatics Lab, which applies technology tools for cultural preservation and propagation;
  • Sutradhara, the administrative section that acts as a spine supporting and coordinating all the activities.

Source: PIB