Performing Arts & Aesthetics (60)

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    The book narrates the history of the Kathaka dance art: its origin, continuous evolution and struggle for existence from ancient to the medieval period. It discusses the influence of Kathakya Acarya, Sage Katha and his sampradaya on Kathaka, besides generic similarities between Rasalila and present-day Kathaka.

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    Kathak The Tradition by: Ranjana Srivastava 1,620.00

    The book traces the history of Kathaka from ancient to the medieval period: its origin and continuous evolution in a struggle for existence through a process involving fusion, diffusion and adaptation. It studies its etymological meaning in a painstaking effort which involves a discussion on the influence of Kathakya Acarya, Sage Katha and the generic similarities between Rasalila, Hallisaka, Carcari, Rasa, and present-day Kathaka. It shows that Kathaka has an ancient origin and is an indigenous Indian dance. It deals with the three distinct sections that form the present-day Kathaka. Surveying a host of religious and secular literature including the Natyashastra, the Abhinaya Darpana and the Sangita Ratnakara and referring to sculptural reliefs from temples and illustrations from manuscripts including the Akbar-Nama, it undertakes a detailed and illuminating study of gestures, postures, movements and stances of Kathaka. An attempt to help readers gain a better insight into the Kathaka dance, the volume will interest practitioners and lovers of classical dance forms of India.

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    The book presents stylistic perspectives on the music of nineteen modern and contemporary Khayàla vocalists representing five important legacies (Gharànàs) which have guided vocal music for about 200 years in India. The book makes complex musicological concepts accessible to even non-academic readers.

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    Khayal Vocalism by: Deepak S. Raja 414.00684.00

    Khayala Vocalism: Continuity Within Change presents stylistic perspectives on the music of nineteen modern and contemporary Khayala vocalists, representing various legacies which have guided vocal music for about 200 years. The book is the result of over five years of research, involving the painstaking analysis of over 500 recordings spanning almost a hundred years of Khayala vocalism. The nineteen vocalists are classified into five stylistic legacies, based on their history of tutelage and the stylistic tendencies evident in their music: Agra legacy, Gwalior-Agra confluence, Jaipur-Atrauli legacy, Kairana legacy, and Patiala legacy. Written by an author of impeccable credentials as a musician, researcher and writer, the book contains seven sections. While the first section serves as an introduction to the Khayala genre and to the various Gharanas, the last presents an annexure containing the various Khayala forms, a glossary of non-English terms rendered in italics, and an index. The intervening five sections deal with the history and stylistics of the five legacies and the music of the vocalists belonging to them. The book makes complex musicological concepts accessible to non-academic readers and contributes significantly to widening the understanding of contemporary trends in Khayala vocalism.

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    This anthology is a selection of writings of Dr Kapila Vatsyayan’s nearly four-decade long journey as an art critic and art historian. It reveals the distinct nature of Indian arts from the angle of the world-view in which they emerge. At the same time, it amply shows the theory of art and aesthetics which may enable us to “to see the other traditions of art from our own window”.

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    Metaphors of the Indian Arts and Other Essays by: Kapila Vatsyayan 1,755.00

    This anthology Metaphors of the Indian Arts and Other Essays is a selection of writings of Dr Kapila Vatsyayan’s nearly four-decade long journey as an art critic and art historian. It reveals the distinct nature of Indian arts from the angle of the world-view in which they emerge. At the same time, it amply shows the theory of art and aesthetics which may enable us to “to see the other traditions of art from our own window”. In a seminal article entitled “Metaphors of the Indian Arts”, the author identifies some fundamentals which permeate the Indian artistic traditions.
    In the article entitled “Mountain, Myth, Monuments” Dr Vatsyayan discusses the significance of mountains and the sanctuaries, diversity of attitude and approaches to them in Indian context. She focuses on sacred mountains, especially Kailasa, which have dominated the Indian imagination for many millennia in the world of literature, architecture, sculpture, music and dance.
    The attitude to the human body as also the self-consciousness of the relationship of the senses and the mind in diverse civilizations has been of special interest to the author for decades. In the article “Early Evidence of Female Figures, Music and Dance”, she points at essentials of treating the human body in Indian art, specially the female body, over a long span of history. She draws attention to the large measure of consensus on the identification of “meaning” of the particular or single image or relief, ranging from the examples from Mesopotamia to Assyria to Egypt and the figurines and statues of the Indus Valley, Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa and Mehergarh.
    Further she returns to explicitly stating the ideational background of Indian aesthetics. Finally, she identifies certain motifs which have travelled across a vast geographical area, specially in South-East Asia.
    Altogether, these essays will enable the reader to trace not only her journey but also her place in Indian art history as a carrier of a tradition of A.K. Coomaraswamy and Stella Kramrisch.

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    All arts in India owe their roots to the theoretical structure developed by Bharatamuni in his celebrated work Natyasastra. His theory of beauty is known as the theory of rasa. The present volume has shown how the insight of Bharata was developed by the classical scholars from Abhinavagupta to Jagannatha who propounded the theories with names like rasa, alamkara, riti, vakrokti, dhvani etc. to employ the theory of beauty from natya (drama) to kavya (poetry).

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    Modern Introduction of Indian Aesthetic Theory by: S.S. Barlingay 720.001,260.00

    The foundation of the Indian aesthetic theory can be traced to Bharatamuni’s Natyashastra where he gave his theory of beauty (theory of rasa) which was later elaborately developed by learned scholars. In this work, Prof. Barlingay examines the development of the rasa theory by various authorities on art and aesthetics and finally presents his own critical understanding of it. The volume begins with a survey of the history of Indian art by examining painstakingly the relation between art and beauty, perception of time and space in art, and classification of arts. It then plunges into a detailed study of origin and development of rasa theory: from rasa in the Vedas and Upanishads to Bharata’s rasa theory and perspectives of Abhinavagupta, Bhattatauta, Bhatta Lollata, Kuntaka, Dandin, Mammata, Vamana, Rudrata, Vishvanatha, Bhamaha, Jagannatha and others who enriched it further with their own theories. It explains how principles were employed and re-employed by the masters to reveal various meanings, inter-relationships, symbols, and perceptions of art. It highlights the salient features of each master’s unique manner of interpretation of art concepts. The work is a must for scholars and students keen to study the fundamentals of concept and theory of Indian art, particularly with reference to drama and poetics.

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    The book contains precise characteristics of dances in India, fundamental questions about the nature of dancing, delving deep into its origin, extending over 2000 years. It makes an exhaustive comparative study, the first of its kind, tracing the growth, techniques and forms of dancing and its expansion by contact with peripheral regional styles, including the foreign ones.

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    Movement and Mimesis by: Mandakranta Bose 1,080.00

    The antiquity of dance in India is well known but its precise characteristics are not. What, exactly, constituted dancing? How was it distinguished from other performing arts? These and other fundamental questions about the nature of dancing can best be answered by delving into the rich corpus of extant Sanskrit treatises on dancing, which extend over two thousand years. Of all sources of the history of dancing, these works remain the most eloquent witness, for they record not only the precepts of the art but also the details of its practice. The present book reconstructs the evolving discourse on dancing in India by making an exhaustive comparative study, the first of its kind, of all available Sanskrit works. The author traces the growth of the techniques and forms of dancing and shows how the central tradition of the art, and also the oldest, expanded by contact with peripheral regional styles, including foreign ones, and eventually merged with them into a synthesis that forms the basis of present-day classical dances of India. Mandakranta Bose’s research in the Sanskritic tradition of Indian dance and drama has led her to view these arts equally in their historical, theoretical and performance aspects. For back of the cover “Her canvas is wide, almost wider than that of late Dr. V. Raghavan who was the first to bring to light the wealth of material in Sanskrit relating to dance, music and theatre . . . The work needs to be read very carefully by all serious students of and researchers on dance.” Dr Kapila Vatsyayan

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    The book delves into the place of music in the Vedas and the role of temples, particularly in south India, in preserving and promoting musical traditions. It also concentrates on both vocal and instrumental music and dance forms as rituals in temples and temple festivals.

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    Music Rituals in Temples of South India by: Geetha Rajagopal 1,350.00

    The book presents a wealth of information on the music rituals in temples at various places in south India. Following visits to a number of temples and based on interviews with temple artistes, the author shows that the musical traditions of temples differ from temple to temple, particularly from Vaishnavite to Shaivite temples.
    Beginning with the place of music in the Vedas, the book discusses music itself as a form of worship and the role of temples in promoting it. It focuses on the musical contributions of Nayanmars and Alvars whose hymns are sung today as a daily ritual in many temples, and compares their music. It concentrates on both vocal and instrumental music, dance forms as rituals in temples, and music and singing involved in temple festivals. Many interesting inscriptions and sculptures related to dance and music have also been taken up for discussion. In a fascinating attempt, the author has dealt with unique music traditions in some temples of south India like ragas associated with specific temples only and the tradition of nadasvaram playing in Tiruvarur temple.
    The volume will enthral scholars of Indology, particularly those involved in study of religious art and music traditions.

  • Natankusam by: Radhavallabh Tripathi 650.00

    Natankusa of an unknown author is a unique work furnishing a first-hand account of Kerala theatre as practised in the medieval period. It also provides vivid account of Sanskrit plays like Ascaryacudamani of Saktibhadra as taken up in performance. In his attempt at critiquing the contemporary theatre, the author makes a threadbare analysis of the practices of cakyaras – the actors of Sanskrit theatre during his times. Kudiyattam, the Sanskrit theatre of Kerala has survived in actual theatre practice for about one millennium. It is recognized as a world heritage. Offering a brilliant critique of Kudiyattam, the author of Natankusa raises fundamental questions with regard to the relationship between the sastra and the loka – the theory and the practice. The present edition of Natankusa is based on fresh manuscript material will go a long way with the students and researchers of classical Indian theatre and will also serve as a manual for the practitioners of Indian theatre according to Bharata’s Naṭyasastra.

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    Natyapradipa covers all the topics of dramaturgy and with an all-encompassing range and inclusivity evinces a sound understanding of the structure of Sanskrit drama. It offers novel interpretations on a number of aspects of drama. Natyapradipa is one of the richest storehouses of references to several Sanskrit plays.

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    Natyapradipa of Sundaramishra by: Radhavallabh Tripathi 270.00

    The experiences and knowledge from our past are recorded in manuscripts which have been handed down to us over several thousand years. The Government of India, through the Department of Culture, took note of the importance of the vast tangible heritage and, in order to preserve and conserve as well as to make access to this wealth easy, established the National Mission for Manuscripts. In order to disseminate the knowledge content of manuscripts, the Mission has taken up several programmes such as lectures, seminars and workshops. The Mission has published the proceedings of the above-said programmes under the following series: Samrakshika (on conservation), Tattvabodha (comprises lectures based on some manuscripts delivered by eminent scholars), Samiksika (research-oriented papers as presented in the seminars), and Kritibodha (transcribed and edited text prepared at advance level manuscriptology workshops conducted by the NMM.
    The National Mission for Manuscripts has taken up a project for publishing rare and unpublished manuscripts in three formats — (a) Facsimile, (b) Critical edition (illustrated and single copy manuscript), and (c) Critical edition with annotation and translation. This new series has been named as Prakashika. Natyapradipa critically edited by Prof. Radhavallabh Tripathi comes under this Prakashika series.
    Natyapradipa is an unpublished and original work on the principles of dramaturgy. The author Sundaramishra flourished during the sixteenth-seventeenth century. Besides Natyapradipa, he had also written a play Abhiramamani on Ramayana theme.
    The unique quality of Natyapradipa lies in its comprehensive nature, it covers all the topics of dramaturgy and with an all- encompassing range and inclusivity evinces a sound understanding of the structure of Sanskrit drama. Sundaramishra offers novel interpretations on a number of aspects of drama. He has made a unique proposition through his theory of joint-dominance of two rasas in a play. He has also attempted a brilliant analysis of the pervasiveness of bindu (the point – amongst the natures of the plot) with respect to all the joints and acts of a play. He frankly and reasonably criticizes such stalwarts like Dhanika and Raghavabhatta. His contribution to Sanskrit dramaturgy also lies in applying the whole theoretical framework of dramaturgy to several classical Sanskrit plays and his own play Abhiramamani.
    Natyapradipa is one of the richest storehouses of references to several Sanskrit plays and with the publication of this work, Sundaramishra joins the galaxy of great stalwarts in the field of the art of drama and theatre.

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    This book talks about the divergent views on Natyasastra Þ its origin, concepts, philosophy, history, vritti, impact on traditional stages, relevance in modern age and stage, and its applicability in post-modern stage. It interlinks Natyasastra and the regional theatre forms with specific focus on south India.

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    Natyasastra in the Modern World by: Radhavallabh Tripathi 630.00

    Natyasastra of Bharatamuni, considered as the fifth Veda, has remained a Samhita with a systematic presentation of conceptual frameworks, theories and practices of Indian theatre for a few millennium years. Every performing art of India (dance–drama) has drawn both theoretical and aesthetics values from Bharata and his Natyasastra, giving continuity to a legacy, as it was written to set models and standards for actors, artisans, and the playwrights. Natyasastra’s discovery in the nineteenth century was a milestone in the world history of aesthetics and theatre. The subsequent researches made Bharata and his theatre a vibrant topic of global dialogue and researches. This has resulted in the discovery of different versions of the Natyasastra.
    This volume discusses in detail the divergent views on Natyasastra — its origin, concepts, philosophy, history, vrtti, impact on traditional stages, relevance in modern age and stage, and its applicability in post-modern stage. It also vividly talks about the interlinks between Natyasastra and the regional theatre forms with specific focus on south India. It therefore reinstates the fact that the regional theatric traditions have considerably contributed to the restructuring of Natyasastra texts.
    With deliberations on varied topics, this book proudly announces that Natyasastra is not just a text, but a tradition of theatre that has remained vibrant till today, reminiscent of Indian world-view. And this makes this volume a must-study for ßwho is whoû in the theatric domain.

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    The book studies the evolution of ancient Indian theatre: it deals with the dramatic troupes, abhinaya, the stage and auditorium and visuals depicting scenes etched on temples and caves. It examines the kinds of performing artistes and their contributions.

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    Performing Artistes in Ancient India by: Iravati 855.00

    Theatre in ancient India or natya incorporated various aspects of art and different branches of knowledge in its very definition — not only histrionics but also dance, music and fine arts and branches of learning like history, philosophy and science. This work traces the evolution of the ancient Indian theatre, focusing on the contributions of the performing artistes. This scholarly treatise deals at length with aspects of dramatic performance like nature, kinds and members of dramatic troupes, abhinaya, the stage and auditorium, incorporating a number of visuals to depict the dramatic scenes etched by artists on pillars, temple walls, caves and objects. It classifies the different kinds and levels of performers: actors like Sailusa, Sailalin, Mankh Kusilava, Nata and Bharata, and actresses like professional actresses, courtesan actresses, divine actresses and so on. It refers to Natyasastra and other noted works on dramaturgy and their authors, and gives examples and illustrations from the famous epics, Buddhist and Jain literature and other works like the Arthasastra to throw light on values associated with drama and its actual performance in ancient times. The book, presenting well-researched facts and giving an insightful analysis, will prove useful to researchers and teachers of classical Indian art.

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