00000nam a22000008i 4500 20260913094833.0 260919s2023 ii 00 0 eng d 9788195669240 Narendra Jha The Natya Sastra of Bharata Muni / Narendra Jha. New Delhi 2023. 240 pages Classical Sanskrit theatre reached its boom during the first nine centuries (BCE). It was Sanskrit grammarian Panini who brought to fore the aphorisms on acting. Kautilya’s book on statesmanship the Artha-shastra (4th century bce) depicted allusions to actors, dancers, theatrical companies and academies. Beyond this, the form, style and classical structure of aesthetic acting were consolidated in Bharata Muni’s treatise on dramaturgy, Natya-shastra. Bharata defined drama as… Mimicry of the actions and conduct of people, rich in various emotions, and depicting different situations; this relates to actions of men as good, bad and indifferent and gives courage, amusement, happiness, and advice to all of them. Bharata slotted drama in 10 types. The two most important ones are are: nataka (heroic) and prakarana (social). Nataka deals with eulogy and gallant themes of gods and kings and draws its roots from epical history or mythology, namely, Kalidasa’s Shakuntala and Bhavabhuti’s Uttararamacharita. The present book of the Natyasastra is elevant to literature, poetry and drama as it is to architecture, sculpture, painting, music and dance. Its comprehensive treatment of artistic experience, expression communication, content and form emerges from an integral vision which flowers as a many-branched tree of all Indian arts. The book will be a great reference guide for theatre students and artists in their study and practice.