The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit

The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit is a definitive work on Sāhityāvadhānam, a form of Indian classical art based on multitasking, lateral thinking, and extempore versification. Dotted throughout with tasteful examples, it expounds in great detail on the theory and practice of this unique performing art. It is as much a handbook of performance as it is an anthology of well-turned verses, as much a sourcebook of literary history as a manual of practical criticism. Analytical and appreciative in tandem, this work appeals equally to the laity and learned.

The co-author of this treatise is a master of the ancient art of Avadhānam, having performed over 1,200 Aṣṭāvadhānams and five Śatāvadhānams across three languages – Kannada, Sanskrit, and Telugu. He is also credited with reviving the art in Kannada. This treatise—at once authentic, insightful, and comprehensive—is perhaps the first of its kind in English, replete with literary citations, epigraphical evidence, and experiential perspectives of performers.