Why in the News?
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) organised an academic programme titled Natyashastra Synthesis of Theory and Praxis during the 20th Session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Red Fort, Delhi.
About Natyashastra
• Ancient Sanskrit treatise on performing arts
• Title derived from Natya meaning dance and drama and Shastra meaning science
• Composed by sage Bharata Muni
• Dated between 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE
• Considered the earliest known treatise on performative arts in South Asia
Core Themes of Natyashastra
• Covers drama (natya), performance (abhinaya), music (sangita), emotion (bhava) and aesthetic experience (rasa)
• Comprises around 36,000 verses
• Justifies Indian drama as a medium of religious and moral enlightenment
Global Recognition
• Included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register
• Recognised for its outstanding global cultural value
About Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
• An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Mandate of IGNCA
• Documentation, preservation and dissemination of Indian arts and cultural heritage
• Training of professionals in cultural studies
| Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhāsa? (2024)
(a) Kavyaalankara (b) Natyashasta (c) Madhyama-vyoga (d) Mahabhashya |
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