Book Review - Natya Sastra in a Nutshell - Sreya Srinath

Nāṭya Śāstra in a Nutshell: A Hand Book on Nāṭya Śāstra

Author: Dr. P. Rama Devi

Pages: 230 / Edition: 2025

Price: Rs.1000

Nāṭya Śāstra in a Nutshell by Dr. P. Rama Devi is a concise guide to Bharata Muni's foundational treatise on Indian performing arts. In this volume, Dr. Rama Devi simplifies complex classical theories such as Rasa, Bhāva, the Chaturvidha Abhinayas, and many other intricate concepts into a lucid, easy-to-understand format that is especially useful and valuable for young music and dance students. The author has further enhanced clarity by providing illustrations for hastas, padas, dr̥ṣṭibhedas, sthānakas, etc., making it easier for exam going students to grasp these advanced topics with greater accuracy through well-presented visuals and explanations. Additionally, the inclusion of ślokas along with their translations makes the text more accessible and easier to comprehend.

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Article - Unsung characters for adaptation in dance (Part 3) - Dr. Padmaja Suresh

CHARACTERS FROM THE NARAYANEEYAM OF NARAYANA BHATTATIRIPAD

Kubja was a maidservant in Kamsa's palace, responsible for procuring sandalwood paste and fragrant oils for Kamsa. She was a hunchback, sometimes referred to as 'Trivakra' (crooked at three spots). Krishna, captivated by her devotion, accepted her offering, straightened her back and made her of a perfect form. This narrative can be well dramatized and suitably brought to choreography.

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Article - Cosmic cadence through proscenium time:Question and evolution of space across times in Bharatanatyam - Brinda Dhar

 ABSTRACT

The term 'vivarta' refers to an illusory appearance of transfiguration. In a philosophical context, particularly within the Vedanta system, the doctrine of vivarta is utilized. The journey of space in Bharatanatyam, from temples to modern proscenium, incredibly moulds the spatial aspects through fusions, thus debunking the actuality of political Bharatanatyam, which has, however, remained constant for ages. Intersectional fusions then do more than blend contemporary politics with classical technique - they decolonize the very knowledge systems that uphold the dance's authority, thus furthermore challenging the idea that Bharatanatyam must remain frozen in a curated museum of authenticity.

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Article - A special Guru-Shishya Bharatanatyam connection - from Kolkata to Ottawa - Kate Macdonald

How the sacred power of Bharatanatyam crossed the seas, pierced the isolation of the pandemic lockdowns, and continues to foster connection and growth...

The Beginning: December 2020
The community center in Ottawa where I teach yoga in Canada's capital was locked down due to Covid.

"Sheltering in place", I found myself scrolling through YouTube. I was interested in investigating what connections might exist between yogāsana and something I actually knew little about - Indian classical dance. I stumbled upon a video that gave me pause. In it, a young dancer from Kolkata - Supratim Talukder - interpreted a trending version of the Shiva Tandava Stotram. To me his embodiment of Lord Shiva was a window into the Divine: darshana. 

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Obit/Tribute - Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi (June 1, 1935 - June 29, 2025) - Dr. Sinam Basu Singh

A great loss for the world of dance (Manipuri), Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi expired on 29th June 2025.

Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi was a celebrated Manipuri classical dancer known for her profound contributions to the art form over five decades. Her work primarily focused on enriching and promoting Manipuri classical dance, including traditional forms like Raas Leela, Lai Haraoba, and tribal folk traditions. She was revered for her graceful artistry, intricate hand gestures (mudras), devotional storytelling, and her unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Manipuri dance both nationally and globally as a performer and a teacher. 

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Article (Dance Katha) - The rhythm that always is - Divya Anand

Devi was frustrated beyond words; they never managed to truly understand her. Sometimes she herself didn't - but that didn't mean someone smarter shouldn't. She reminded herself she wasn't asking for much. Just a deep connection. One that feels like a cool breeze, refreshing. But finding it had become a serious challenge. Why did everything lose its charm and appear shallow after the details appear? Shouldn't romance be like some of those classic odes that thrilled her every time she read them? The rude sound of her mobile ringing shook her from her reverie. It was Mom - she wanted the details.

Devi's mother lived in her hometown, caring for her ailing husband. Devi, her only daughter, had had a somewhat confusing childhood - not from a lack of love, but from abrupt and unexpected political changes. Her early teens were full of small comforts and bright dreams, until her father's business spiralled into debt and everything changed. The school trips stopped, school fees had backlogs, and by the time she turned eighteen, Devi was working side gigs to keep the family afloat. Still, she was bright. She excelled in her studies, earned scholarships, and landed a respectable job - though true financial stability was still a distant shore. Her father's health had worsened, and her mother, already weathered by years of caretaking and financial strain, now clung fiercely to the one thing she could still hope for: securing a good match for Devi. It wasn't pressure exactly. It was love - the kind that worries too much and lets it show. 

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Article - A magical moment forever etched in my heart - Ananya Nair

Bharatanatyam has been a constant and integral part of me growing up. So, when the time came for me to write a meaningful essay for college admissions, I knew right away it had to be about the most precious moment forever etched in my heart... my arangetram on 9th of July 2023 at Melpathur Auditorium, Lord Guruvayur Temple, in Kerala, India. I would like to humbly share my experience.

My Bharatanatyam arangetram was a surreal experience. During those two hours of exhilarating solo dance, I made myself vulnerable on stage. When I danced that day, I was not Ananya anymore - I was the character I embodied in each piece portrayed in the sacred texts. I was just a devotee dancing in front of the Almighty. 

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Anita says...July 2025

 We are already in the second half of 2025... six months gone and six months to go!

This July there are some aspects of our dance world that I wish to focus on. Matters outside the stage and issues that we need to look at without swiping or scrolling. As a senior in the discourse, I wish to bring attention to matters of attitude, intention and action for the younger generation of dance artistes and anyone wishing to commit their time and energy to this world of the creative arts. A world that gives us so much but also demands so much more. An art form that opens our heart and also makes us cranky and infantile at times. Dance that exhilarates in the doing but the eco system that pushes down depresses. In times of crisis, we realise that there is so little unity and camaraderie. Unlike the film fraternity that has a forum for redressal of issues, dancers are left in the lurch during times of professional and personal crisis leading to great mental strain and loss of reputation.

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