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Mahābhārata – Episode 36 – Pāṇḍavas Save the Kauravas from the Gandharvas

The entourage[1] that left from Hastināpura to Dvaitavana camped at a place near the villages of the cowherds. They set their tents up making sure that there was ample supply of water and shade, choosing land that was smooth and flat. They took a count of the cattle. Men and women of the village wore different costumes and entertained the guests with music and dance. Duryodhana rewarded them with a bounty of food and money. The entourage then headed out for hunting.

Yakṣagāna – A Deśī Theatre Art: Misconceptions

The terms ‘mārga’ and ‘deśī’ which have been in use for thousands of years in our tradition are today translated as ‘Classical’ and ‘Folk’ respectively, terms which hardly capture the original sense of the Sanskrit words. This equivalence was drawn by some western scholars and it is hard to say when exactly these were thought to be equivalents of the original Sanskrit words. The downfall and corruption of traditional knowledge systems of India has taken place because we have been taught to look at ourselves through the lens given by the West.

वर्णनेतिवृत्तमीमांसा—यत्नेन वारणीया दोषाः

अस्यां दिशि सुकविना केचन दोषा यत्नेन वारणीयाः। यथा संविधाने निर्वैशिष्ट्यम्, इतिवृत्ते च निस्सङ्घर्षता। यद्यपि सङ्घर्ष इति परिभाषाविशेषः प्राच्यभारतीयकाव्यमीमांसायां किञ्चिदप्रचुरस्तथापि कथायाः पुरोऽभिवृद्धये विविधपात्राणां पोषणाय च सोऽयमावश्यक इति सुविदितमेव सुधियाम्। श्रीमद्रामायणे श्रीमन्महाभारते च विद्यमानो धर्माधर्मयोः सदसतोश्च सङ्घर्षः सुविख्यातः। महाकाव्येष्ववश्यं मन्त्र-द्यूत-प्रयाण-आजि-नायकाभ्युदयादीनि वर्णनानि भवेयुरिति किल काव्यशास्त्रसमयः। अत्राजिर्नाम न केवलं बाह्यः, अपि तु आन्तरङ्गिकोऽपि भवितुमर्हति। प्रकृते कानिचिदुदाहरणानि दद्मः—नैषधीयचरिते नलेनानुभूतः सङ्घर्षो यो देवानां प्

The Concrete and the Abstract in Art

Among our youth and children, more than the study and research of ‘literature,’ it is the learning of music and dance that is considered as a symbol of culture. Literature is seen by many as a heap of information or a tool for enjoyment. It is not without reason that music, dance, painting and sculpture are categorized as ‘fine arts’ among the arts. In these forms of art, the aspect of ‘information’ is secondary and it is only the play of vibhāvas (causes) and anubhāvas (effects) of rasa and the subsequent aesthetic experience that takes predominance.