SANSKRIT DRAMA

Introduction: - It is not strange for a civilization that has ancient

treatises or the Vedas at the root of most of its knowledge systems
thus Sanskrit drama was attributed with divine origin.
Dramatic composition and staging techniques of ancient India is
primarily derived from two sources

The Extant plays with their stage The numerous dramaturgical texts and
directions. books of theory and criticism

Unlike the Greek theatre, whose history relies at least in part on the
ruins of theatre monuments, the Indian theatre does not have any
surviving theatre buildings which might shed light on its origins and
development.

Features:
 From the plays we learn that Sanskrit drama was sophisticated
but also at times uneven in quality.
 Some of the finest poetry of the ancient world is found in
Sanskrit drama along with several extant plays that are
compared favorably with ancient dramatic literature.
 Sanskrit drama called upon on actors and audience alike to
understand and decipher a complex code of gestures,
movements and expressions. Thus, it was believed to be
conventional.
 It was also multidimensional since Dance, music contributed to
the overall effect.
About Sanskrit Theatre:
It was a theatre of imagination; thus, the setting for the drama was
symbolic and not the replicas of the ventures of ordinary humans. The
costumes and make up were stylized and symbolic differentiating
between the replicas of day to day lives and of a particular period.
Theatre had a sacred significance since the constructions of the
playhouses were associated with numerous rituals and served as a
religious function as well as a medium of entertainment and
education.
One of the reasons that Sanskrit drama was genre of theatre that had
been universally understood and imitated throughout the subcontinent
was the predominance of Sanskrit language since it had been used in
courts and numerous religious rituals.
Although theatre during this period was multilingual and included the
works in various local languages and dialects like Prakrit even so
Sanskrit theatre was the national theatre of its day and language of the
major male characters.

Theatre in India:
Theatre took shape in India in the second century B.C which
relatively later than the development of theatre in Greece, even so
India seems to have been the first country of the region of Asia to
support an active, sophisticated theatre.
Although it continued for twelve uninterrupted years, it did not
disappear overnight. Around the beginning of the tenth century A.D,
no more significant dramatic poets appeared instead time again
authors tried their hand at writing Sanskrit plays in the style of the
acknowledged classics.
Natyashastra
The principal text of ancient dramaturgy

The title literally means “drama science”. It is an authentic

encyclopedia of knowledge concerning Sanskrit drama and theatre,
one of the most comprehensive works of its kind.
At a glance Natyashastra is obviously wider in scope than other great
texts like Aristotle’s poetics. It consists of innumerable chapters
ranging from the origin of theatre to plentiful topics like theatre
architecture, acting, makeup, dance and more.

Composition: It is believed that Natyashastra was composed during

the period between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D.
Although the authorship is traditionally attributed to sage Bharata,
and unevenness of writing stye leads scholars to argue that it might
have been works of several hands. Succumbing to the fact that extant
manuscripts are known to exist in private collections and libraries
around the world yet have never been compiled into a definitive
edition.

Theatre organization.
Little is known about theatre companies in ancient India although
there are tantalizing scraps of evidence in Natyashastra pertaining to
it.
The first company seems to have been a family affair. The leadership
was in the hands of a family elder [Bharata] who seemingly received
 his training from Brahma himself and in turn passed his wisdom to his
one hundred sons.
It does appear in some parts of the works that certain companies had a
group leader and actors of various ranks along with different groups
of playwrights, musicians and more.

Leadership:

Stage manager [Sutradhara]

Troupe leader
Actor Producer
Head of the
company

Major job seemed to have been

supervisory
Responsibilities:
 Supervisory
 Principal actor
 Establishing engagements with officials of temple, court for
performances
 Stage managing
 Architect of ancient theatre buildings
 Producer of the play
 Distributor of roles in the play
 Teaching rules for the play
Requirements:
 Excellent memory
 Intelligence
 Well versed in music, language, astrology, physiognomy and
theatre.
 Sensitive to human frailty
 Familiar with customs of different regions of the subcontinent.

Actors
The generic term for actor was Bharata.
Actors were also called Nata or Nartaka and actresses were known as
Nati or Natakaya. [ These terms were also used interchangeably for
dancers and acrobats]
Apparently both men and women could perform in the plays and also
could play reversed roles.
Actresses were usually regarded as better suited than men to sing
Actors were regarded better suited for the battle scenes since it would
depict the sentiments of heroism and rage. Their voice was thought
best for recitation because they were regarded as stronger than those
of women

Qualities of an ideal actor

 Intelligence
 Strength
 Physical beauty
 Knowledge of time and tempo
 Appreciation of sentiments and emotions
 Must be proper age to play a role
 Possess curiosity
 Able to acquire knowledge and other arts
 Retentive memory
 Must understand the vocal music that prompts dance
 Suppress stage fright
 Display enthusiasm
 Should know how to use complicated and symbolic hand
gestures
 Be able to recite the text clearly

Judgement criteria
1. Unnaturalness in acting
2. Incorrect movement
3. Unsuitability for a role
4. Forgetfulness
5. Improper use of gestures
6. Defect in costume and ornaments
7. Defect in rhythm of execution
 8. Improper projection
9. Excessive laughter or weeping

Procedure for training actors is also established in the mythological

origin of the theatre. Instruction came directly to people from God via
a wise sage. Thus, a drama teacher is an older person.
Actors may well have specialized in playing specific roles according
to set role designations. The hero, heroine and clown are a few of the
more important categories of roles.

Other company members

The stage manager is thought to have had an assistant whose job was
to help in prologue and recitation of the benediction.
He may have also helped in the preparations and constructions of the
buildings. Some responsibilities were shared amongst the assistants
like make up, ornaments and garlands

Means of support and social status

Apparently the performers earned through the payments made by their
patrons which could have been in any form like simple goods, like
rice, oil or in gifts like jewels, clothing, precious metals and others.

The social position of the players does not appear to have been very
high. They were seemed to be degraded, brahmans refrained taking
food from actors in order of not being polluted
 Acting
There were seemingly three main schools of acting in ancient India.
Natyashastra recognizes three styles of representation in dhrami
[ dramatic performance]:

The realistic The conventional

[lokadharmi] which [natyadharmi] which
literally means popular means the theatrical

Natyashastra also identifies four styles of performance:

1. The verbal: which probably placed emphasis on speech alone
2. The grand: which may have emphasized spectacle
3. The graceful: which may have emphasized on feminine
movements
4. The energetic: perhaps referring to an emphasis on masculine
movement and forceful music.
some parts of the works also implies that dramatic performances may
have varied from one geographical to another since the local
characteristics may have prevailed.
 CONTINUED

The term acting [ abhinaya] literally means “carrying towards”. The

art of acting consist of four major elements:

Bodily movement Spectacle

Sentiment/emotion.
voice

Bodily movement:- 5 long chapters of the Natyashastra are

devoted to a comprehensive survey of bodily movement, thus it may
well have been considered the most important component of the
actor’s art.
It includes 3 models of dramatic entertainment that is certain-
 Pure dance [nrtta] – refers to the movements, gestures and facial
expressions which are abstract.
It is not symbolized and often accompanied with music or
syllables recited by a singer.

 Pantomimic dance [nrtya] – stresses the enactment of a story in

which dancers usually performs a short scene with gestures and
facial expressions that are symbolic.
  Drama [natya] – it involved dialogues and recitation along with
symbolic attire and modulation.

The bodily movements are said to be of three kinds:

1. Of limbs
2. Of face
3. Of entire body
Along with makeup Natyashastra identifies facial color as an
important part of expressing emotions.
The specific poses and physical reactions of actors in various
situations are referred to as cari and Natyashastra identifies 32 caris
out of them approximately 16 caris are referred to as earthly and the
remaining are called aerial.

Voice:- relatively little is provided for the use of voice of the

actor, Natyashastra just involves the discussion of the human voice
and metrical patterns that should be employed in composing verses.

LANGUAGE OF THE PLAYS:

Refined Vulgar [prakrta]

[samskrta]

Sanskrit is regarded as appropriate for the dialogue and verses of gods

and kings. There is also a common language and even a language for
animals and birds.

Spectacle:- the element of spectacle is divided into 4 parts

  Stage
 Properties
 Decorations
 Makeup and creatures

A reference to curtain is found in the text that may have been used as
way to graciously reveal a character.

Music and Dance

It is impossible to determine how integrated dance and music were in
the performances.
According to the text melodic sounds were either produced by the
human voice or instruments.
The musicians sat on a strategic vantage point with the view of the
whole act and easy access to the dressing room.
Evidently according to the Natyashastra music was essential to the
progress of the preliminary rituals.
The songs were composed by the musicians and were added on the
occasions like
1. To introduce a character when he/she enters the stage
2. When a character exits during the play or end
3. To reinforce a mood already established in the drama
4. Change in mood of the scene
5. Gap in the midst of the scenes

Spectators and the occasion of performance

Characteristics that ideal spectators should posses was explicitly
mentioned in the Natyashastra.
Occasion of the performance
Occasion arose from a desire on the part of an individual, perhaps an
important festival of the temple qualified as an occasion. The temple
deity may have been the chief guest at such occasions.

Time and Place

The Natyashastra clearly states that the events of an act should take
place in the course of single day.
Rules for establishing and changing locales in a Sanskrit play were
quite flexible and conventionalized

Purpose of Drama
It was doubtful that the Sanskrit theatre was meant to be a reflection
of life in ancient India rather it was a model of human behavior and in
this it served a very definite educational function.
Indian civilization is dealt with by examining the plays of the culture,
it gives us a perspective of the pervading views of Hindu philosophy
and religion and a great deal about human behavior and social
interaction.

Aesthetics
The Natyashastra divides human experience into eight basic
sentiments:
1. Erotic
 2. Comic
3. Pathetic
4. Furious
5. Heroic
6. Odious
7. Marvelous
8. Terrible
In addition with the 8 feelings or bhava there are transitory feelings.