Theater Forms In India: Long Tradition & Classic Sanskrit

Introduction

Theater forms in India began as a narrative art form encompassing music, dance and acting. They are presented during religious festivals, fairs, gatherings, and rituals. They incorporate the common people’s social attitudes, perceptions, and classical elements. 

Long Tradition Of Theater Forms In India

• The excavated ruins at Sitabenga and Jogimara caves (Chhattisgarh) represent the world’s oldest amphitheaters.
• Natya Shastra is the first formal treatise on dramaturgy. It contains ten types of play to cover all aspects of classical Sanskrit literature.
• Rigveda provides evidence of drama plays enacted during the Yajna ceremonies.

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Classical Sanskrit Theater Forms in India

• The Sanskrit word ‘Nataka’ originated from the root word ‘Nata’, meaning a dancer. 
• Other words for drama include Rupaka, Drishyakvya, and Preksakavya.
• In ancient India, plays were generally of two types: 
  • Lokadharmi: These were realistic depictions of daily life. 
  • Natyadharmi: These were conventional plays with a more stylised narration and overt symbolism.
• Ritualistic progression in Classical Sanskrit play:
  • The play begins with purva-raga (pre-play rituals). 
  • Following this, Sutradhar (the stage manager and director), dressed in white, would offer worship to the deity and seek his blessings. 
  • After that, the leading lady was summoned, and the Sutradhar announced the time and place of the play. He also gave a brief introduction to the playwright. 
  • The stages were two-storeyed (the upper floor represented the celestial sphere and the Lower terrestrial sphere). 
  • Curtains were used to intensify the impact of play. However, masks were not used.
• Characters in Sanskrit plays were of three kinds which are Nayaka (Hero or the Protagonist), Nayika (Heroine) and the Vidusaka (Clown). 

Important Sanskrit Plays

• Ashvaghosh (Sariputraprakarana); Visakhadatta (Mudrarakshasa); Kalidasa (Malvikagnimitra, Vikramorvarshi and Abhijñānaśākuntalam); Bhavabhuti (Uttaramacharitra and Mahaviracharitra); Harshavardhan (Ratnavali); Shudraka (Mrcchakatika).

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Conclusion

• In India, theater transcends mere entertainment, serving as a powerful medium for storytelling, social commentary, and cultural preservation. 
  • The enduring legacy of theater forms In India continues to inspire, enlighten, and unite audiences across the country and beyond.

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