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Carry Indian Knowledge Systems in your pocket — Nāṭyaśāstra, Rasa theory, Vedic texts & more.
Explorations into the deep currents of Indian intellectual history, civilisational continuity, philosophical theatre, and contemporary cultural discourse.
Read a sample from Two Plays, a collection of dramatic works by Rik Amrit.
Selected drama, poetry, and philosophical commentaries
Rik Amrit’s debut Bengali poetry collection, published in 2018, draws on the literary and cultural world of Kolkata’s College Street. The collection explores urban life, alienation and the experience of wandering through the city.
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Rik Amrit’s second Bengali poetry collection, published in 2023, explores language, silence and the relationship between the written word and consciousness.
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A bilingual poetry collection organised around four movements: Displacement, Awakening, Creation and Reckoning. The work considers displacement, memory and cultural reckoning.
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A forthcoming translation and philosophical commentary on selected verses of the Īśā Upaniṣad, examining questions of knowledge, action and liberation.
Preview edition ↗To study our traditions is not to live in the past, but to discover possibilities for a more conscious future.
Explorations of classical Indian aesthetics, Nāṭyaśāstra, Rasa theory, and civilisational dialogue
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The paper considers how principles of classical Indian dance and theatre might be adapted through artificial intelligence and machine learning while accounting for the knowledge frameworks of the traditions concerned.
The paper examines Homeric epic poetry through the lens of Indian aesthetic and philosophical traditions, with attention to the possibilities and limits of cross-cultural interpretation.
The paper examines proposed Vedic and ritual contexts for Mārga Nāṭya and considers their place in accounts of the history of Indian theatre.
The paper discusses Mahāmahopādhyāya Śrī Piyal Bhattacharya’s work in somatic discipline and performance philosophy, situating it within efforts to understand and sustain Mārga Nāṭya.
Keynote address at the Seventh Global Oneness Festival examining Advaita Vedānta and non-dual aesthetics.
Event Details ↗Special address examining the commentarial dimensions of Rasa in classical dramatic performance.
Lecture archive ↗Navaratri's celebration varies dramatically across India's diverse regions, reflecting local traditions, customs, and cultural int...
Read Full Essay ↗Navaratri encompasses rich ritualistic traditions designed to facilitate spiritual transformation and divine connection. The festi...
Read Full Essay ↗Navaratri's deepest significance lies in its representation of the soul's evolutionary journey toward ultimate liberation. The fes...
Read Full Essay ↗In the matter concerning the Aravalli range, the Supreme Court’s verdict has emerged through a constitutional process. Yet the occ...
Read Full Essay ↗The word Deśa is an equivalent of the sky. The hr̥day, a parallel to the sky. I quite enjoy these linguistic games. In this way, t...
Read Full Essay ↗The Nāṭyaśāstra stands as a seminal treatise on Indian classical theater, encapsulating a comprehensive framework known as the Ele...
Read Full Essay ↗No matter how much Sri Krishna directs towards Brahmajnana in the Gita and advises against desiring the fruits of one’s actions, i...
Read Full Essay ↗Crosswalks aren’t the only thingsWith stripes—Your body bears its ownPatchwork of stainsThat leap to lifeAt every green light.Traf...
Read Full Essay ↗The final bell echoes through the book fair, and silence settles like dust. An artist alone in a hotel room after the curtain fall...
Read Full Essay ↗Without further preamble, let us now consider the chapters and topics of the Natya Shastra. For until we know exactly which aspect...
Read Full Essay ↗Natyashastra is not merely a handbook or manual for the art of Theatre; it is a philosophy that speaks of Purushartha (the four ai...
Read Full Essay ↗The colours of my May are as yellow as the golden showers. The 7th of this month, the twenty-fifth day of Boishakh in the Bengali ...
Read Full Essay ↗A home for scholarship, the arts and conversations across intellectual and cultural traditions.
I founded Poorvam as an independent platform for research, publishing, learning and dialogue on the arts, culture and classical philosophy.
Explore Poorvam ↗Official press materials, high-resolution author portraits, biographical dossier, and publication summaries for editors, literary festivals, journalists, and cultural institutions.
Full 80-page press portfolio featuring author monograph overviews, critical reception, production notes on theatre plays, and research background.
Curated editorial portrait photographs of Rik Amrit approved for print publication, festival program booklets, and digital editorial coverage.
Approved 50-word, 150-word, and complete biographical notes, academic affiliations with Poorvam, and lecture topics on Sanskrit poetics and drama.
Vector logos, typography guidelines, Poorvam institutional emblems, and high-contrast wordmarks for festival posters and academic symposiums.
