Abstract

THE CONCEPT OF DRAMA IN INDIAN TRADITION

Dr. Priyam Ankit

Volume: 4 Issue: 2 2014

Abstract:

We can look upon drama purely as a literary work or as a work of performing art. In traditional Indian drama, performative aspect of drama (natya) could be understood in the light of Bharata’s Natyashastra. Since Bharat did not treat natya as a literary genre, the problems before him were also different. Bharata viewed natya as an adaptation of life in terms of certain moral objectives. The term Bharat uses for theatrical representation is anukarana which literally means imitation. Bharata is aware that language forms the basis of both the structure of the play and also of the dialogues rendered by the actors. If the script is weak, then, no matter how powerful the facial and bodily gestures of the actors, the play would lack strength. Bharata’s Natyashastra is like an encyclopedia of drama. It deals exhaustively with the different dimensions of theatric representation, right from the inception of a dramatic theme and its rendering into a metrical form to the construction of the playhouse and the dress and make-up of different characters. It becomes quite obvious from the Bharata’s treatment of natya that, unless one is able to have a collaboration of architects, painters, sculptors, dancers, actors, musicians and poets, one cannot have a successful dramatic performance.

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