The Scope and Importance of NatyaShastra

Today I  finally  got down to reading what is know as Bible of  Indian Classical Dance, Music and Drama - The Natya Shastra. This two volume encyclopedia  written by Sage Bharat (Bharat Muni) is made of couplets in the ancient Indian language Sanskrit. Over the years this book had found many translators who made it easy for readers like me to study this book. However i would suggest a little study of the Sanskrit before one ventures into reading Natya Shastra as each translator may have had their own interpretation of certain phrases or couplets. Here is what i took away with me from the first few chapters from the Natya Shastra.

Scope and importance of Natyashastra

v  Main topics of discussion in Natya Shastra are:

1.       Origin of mythical theater

2.       Construction of stage, auditorium and ceremonies attached to their construction

3.       Choreographic element

4.       Costume and make-up

5.       Classification and analysis of plays.

6.       Poetic aspects of plays and meters and figure of speech used in them.

7.       Theory of music and Talas.

8.       Classification and description of the characters in a play.

9.       Criticism of the plays

v  Natya Shastra is considered as encyclopedia because:

1.       It provided the play writer with the structural designs of various types of play and its elaborations

2.       It helped the play writers to get acquainted with the rules of production  to make the drama as a spectacle

3.       Many literary dramas  are not taken  for performance as they are not suitable to be staged, Bharat Muni was aware of this and gave importance to both the literary and technical aspect of theater.