Essays : Aesthetics
Articles on Fine, Visual and Performing Arts
A Review of Indian Aesthetics and Applications in the Vishnudharmottara Purana (Part 1)
My initial encounter with the Vishnudharmottara Purana occurred while pursuing a diploma in Indian aesthetics
Essays : natyashastra
My Journey with Natyashastra
My Journey with Natyashastra (Part 4)
বাংলায় পড়ুন No matter how much Sri Krishna directs towards Brahmajnana in the Gita and advises against desiring the fruits of one's actions, if Arjuna did not find solace from
My Journey with Natyashastra (Part 3)
বাংলায় পড়ুন Without further preamble, let us now consider the chapters and topics of the Natya Shastra. For until we know exactly which aspects are being discussed in the context
My Journey with Natyashastra (Part 2)
বাংলায় পড়ুন Natyashastra is not merely a handbook or manual for the art of Theatre; it is a philosophy that speaks of Purushartha (the four aims of human life) within
My Journey with Natyashastra (Part 1)
বাংলায় পড়ুন A decade ago, in March 2013, I visited Manish Da's (Manish Mitra, the director of the Kasba Arghya theatre group) home for the first time for a lunch
The Essential : natyashastra
Mini Articles
Exploring the Vedic Basis of Bharata’s Natyashastra
The Eleven Natya Sangraha encapsulate the profound wisdom of Bharata, providing a structured yet dynamic framework for Indian classical theater. Each element—be it the emotional resonance of Rasa, the evocative power of Bhava, or the intricate interplay of Abhinaya and Swara—contributes to the holistic experience of performance art.
Bharata’s Doctrine and the Eleven Pillars of Natya: A Dive into the Essence of Indian Classical Theatre
The Eleven Natya Sangraha encapsulate the profound wisdom of Bharata, providing a structured yet dynamic framework for Indian classical theater. Each element—be it the emotional resonance of Rasa, the evocative power of Bhava, or the intricate interplay of Abhinaya and Swara—contributes to the holistic experience of performance art.
Abhinavagupta & The Importance of Abhinavabhārati in Understanding the Nāṭyaśāstra
Abhinavagupta - Claudia Dose The Cold Winds of Kashmir and Abhinavagupta’s Enduring Legacy The cold winds of Kashmir carry whispers of an ancient time when its valleys were alive with
Whispers of Laughter and Tears : Blog
A word that once descends onto paper, never returns to the pen.
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Masturbation
I haven’t been able to write even ten sentences together for nearly a year. The only thing I managed to write during this time was a letter—to my counselor. Right
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Conversations
The way we react to news—do we ever bow down to the events in our own lives with the same intensity? Take the #DepressionKills wave that gripped us after Sushant's
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Entertainment
Lately, I often feel that I am quite happy. Perhaps even lucky. I got to experience lockdown—a glimpse into how Brahma lives a single day in eighty years. Sometimes I
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Words
The word “country” is an equivalent of the sky. The heart, a parallel to the sky. I quite enjoy these linguistic games. In this way, the word “book” takes me
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Books
The last bell of the fair has rung. Just as an artist packs up alone in a hotel room after a show, preparing to head home, the books lined up
Whispers of Laughter and Tears: Tagore
In human lives, I have observed three main desires: wealth, power, and knowledge. I have one more—Rasa (The Universal Emotion).
A Memoir of Kaurav: : Novel
Kaurav’s Bus to Mysore
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 9)
During the nationwide uproar over the Singur and Nandigram incidents, Kaurav was still in school, and the opposition party in West Bengal had only one member in the Lok
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 8)
Exactly sixteen days later, when Kaurav was having lunch at Bangabhavan in Delhi, the ruling party of the state was announcing its candidate list for the Lok Sabha elections
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 7)
Kaurav now somewhat understands the meaning of his name. He realizes that "Kaurav" is not singular but plural; it represents a group, a collective—a child born of blind passion.
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 6)
After lunch, Shaunak listened to many of Kaurav’s poems. Kaurav was amazed by Shaunak’s library, which contained a thousand books. The library was the first thing that attracted him to
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 5)
Leaving behind his dreams of astronomy and finding himself in the glamorous world of theater felt like a significant turn of events for Kaurav, especially considering it had only occurred
A Memoir of Kaurav (Part 4)
The discomfort lingered for several hours after watching the play. As a regular citizen, it had struck a chord, but even more so, it had pricked his artistic ego. He
