The nine rasas of Indian aesthetics

The first session of the second day of Jaipur Literature Festival 2017 concerned the element of navras in Indian aesthetics. Navras, which literally means essence or taste, is a term used to describe emotions felt by the audience when watching a performance or engaging with the visual arts.

The session was moderated by veteran journalist and eminent writer Mrinal Pande. The panel included Dr Harsha V. Dehejia, who holds a double doctorate in medicine and ancient Indian culture, Makarand Paranjape, poet and professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Alka Pande, art consultant, India Habitat Centre, and James McHugh, professor of religion, University of South California.

Talking about the rasa theory, Dehejia said that it is appropriate that one should re-visit Bharata Muni now. “One cannot but salute Bharata who is the father of Indian aesthetics. It is imperative because when one goes through the arts, a certain point strikes you. The sage didn’t add more rasas to Natyashastra but now, new a rasa like despair has greatly emerged. Many painters like Tyeb Mehta and F.N. Souza show the feeling of despair in their works.”

Paranjape supported Dehejia’s views on the subject: “We can do with despair as even in music, along with vaadi (root musical note of a raga) and samvaadi (supportive musical note of a raga), there is a presence of  vivaadi ( dissonant musical note in a raag). It is very important to make people aware about the rasas.”