Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Chandas; Theatre Design

Language

The Sanskrit theatre employed several kinds of prākṛtas (Prakrits) in addition to saṃskṛta (Sanskrit); this is a special feature of the Sanskrit dramas. To put it loosely, we can say that the difference between Sanskrit and Prakrits is the kind of difference that exists between the speech of an educated and civilized individual and the rustic speech of a countryman. It is quite likely that this mixture of languages came to be used to bring naturality to a Sanskrit play; it could also have been included because, in certain instances, the actors who played roles in the play lacked the ability to accurately render the Sanskrit dialogues. Therefore, the language the actors naturally used in their everyday conversations, i.e., prākṛta came to be used in the Sanskrit theatre.

The characters, who are naturally expected to be well-educated and civilized speak the Sanskrit language. Women, uneducated men, and the tertiary characters speak Prakrit. Women not only speak Prakrit, but they ‘take to Sanskrit’ (saṃskṛtam-āśritya) when the situation demands.

At a certain point in history, the playwrights and the audience, perhaps, understood different dialects of Prakrit quite well just as they understood the Sanskrit language. However, we see in the oldest plays that along with the Prakrit dialogues, its Sanskrit equivalents are provided as well to help the reader understand the composition – this seems to indicate that people had lost the ability to understand all the Prakrits after a certain point in time. In fact, Harṣa, Bhavabhūti, Rājaśekhara and many other later-day playwrights appear to have translated segments of their Sanskrit plays into Prakrit only to follow the set norms of the structure of the Sanskrit drama.[1]

Bharata speaks about bhāṣās and vibhāṣās (upabhāṣās) in the following ślokas

 

māghadhyavantijā prācyā śūrasenyardhamāgadhī |

bāhlīkā dākṣiṇātyā ca sapta-bhāṣāḥ prakīrtitāḥ ||

śabarābhīra-cāṇḍāla-sacara-draviḍoḍrajāḥ |

hīnā vanecarāṇāṃ ca vibhāṣā nāṭike smṛtāḥ || - Nāṭyaśāstra 17.48-49

In the ślokas that follow these, he even lists the kind of characters that speak the various languages. He also narrates the peculiar features of the particular deśa-bhāṣā (regional languages) as well.

Kings and the residents of the royal harem (antaḥpura) are to speak māgadhī. Ceṭas and rājaputra-śreṣṭhīs (merchants) are to speak ardha-māgadhī; vidūṣakas and others are to employ prācyā, while dhūrtas (wicked men) are to speak āvantī; the nāyikā and her sakhī are to speak śūrasenī. Warriors and citizens are to speak dākṣiṇātya.

We, however, see some differences in the definitions and recommendations provided by Bharata and those given by the other aestheticians. Bharata concludes by saying that we must make optimal use of the various languages following what is prevalent in the world.[2]

 

Raṅga

Raṅga, i.e., the theatre can be discussed under four heads, namely –

1. nāṭyamaṇṭapa or the prekṣā-gṛha,
2. prayoga (execution)
3.  naṭas (actors)  
4. prekṣakas (connouisseurs)

 

Nāṭyamaṇṭapa

In Bharata’s view, the nāṭya-maṇṭapa, i.e., the prekṣā-gṛha (the physical structure of the theatre) is of three kinds – jyeṣṭha (big), madhyama (medium) and kaniṣṭha (small).

The jyeṣṭha is 108 hastas[3] in length; the madhyama and the kaniṣṭha are 64 and 32 hastas long, respectively. The jyeṣṭha variety of nāṭya-maṇṭapa is used by the devas, the madhyama by the kings and the kaniṣṭha by the common men. The nāṭya-maṇṭapa can either be vikṛṣṭa (oblong), caturaśra (square) or tryaśra (triangular) in shape. Among these, the madhyama kind is the most optimum because of its acoustic parameters – the audibility of music and speech is the best in this design. The facial expressions and other aspects of abhinaya can be closely watched in the madhyama-nāṭya-maṇṭapa.

Let us consider a madhyama-nāṭya-maṇṭapa of the vikṛṣṭa kind and understand its different parts and their purpose. This kind of nāṭya-maṇṭapa is 64 hastas long and 32 hastas wide. At the back lies the nepathya-gṛha (the ‘green room’) which is 16x32 hastas in its dimensions; actors don their clothes and make-up in the nepathya-gṛha. The main part of the auditorium where the actors and dancers enact is called the nāṭya-raṅga; this part is 16x32 hastas in dimensions; one of the important segments of the nāṭya-raṅga is the raṅga-śīrṣā; there are two elevated platforms (with a height of a hasta each) of about 8x32 hastas in size; these platforms are called raṅga-śīrṣā. On its sides, there are openings/ doorways that lead to the nepathya-gṛha. A screen called javanikā is stretched between the two doorways, i.e., in the middle of the raṅga-śīrṣā and the nepathya-gṛha. The area in front of the javanikā is called raṅga-pīṭha which measures 8x32 hastas. On the two sides of the raṅga-pīṭha, mattavāraṇīs exist, which measure 8 x 8 hastas.

In sum, the nāṭya-mandira which measures 32x32 hastas consists of two halves – the area where the artists perform is an elevated platform. The seating arrangement of the audience ensures optimal visibility and audibility; the spectator gallery is divided into different segments by pillars to segregate people of different communities; seats are made of wood or bricks and are arranged on rows and rows of steps.

The walls and pillars of the theatre are painted in aesthetically appealing colours and are decked with works of art. The design of the nāṭya-maṇṭapa did not allow for the inclusion of too many windows, the presence of which could potentially rupture the acoustics of the theatre.

Treatises composed after the Nāṭya-śāstra contain some variations in the dimensions of the nāṭya-maṇṭapa.  The Bhāva-prakāśa talks about a vṛttākāra, i.e., circular (and an ardha-vṛttākāra – semi-circular) nāṭya-mandira as well.