Indian performance spaces in texts, with a special focus on Natyasastra

Dance

In the absence of extant spaces, the nature of theatres in the Indian subcontinent can only be learned through treatises on dramaturgy and dance. From the available textual resources, it can be assumed that these performance spaces were almost always linked to palaces or as being adjacent to temples. In both cases, the role of the king as a patron was extremely important for the art of theatre to flourish. The first complete description of a theatre is seen in the Natyasastra of Bharatamuni. In its extensive descriptions, one gathers that Sankrit built theatre was elaborate and systematically designed. This is followed by numerous others through the millennia. However, the essential description of the structure never drastically varied in content or significantly adds to the corpus of details provided in the Natyasastra. The structural details that Bharata’s theatres present indicate that an extensive understanding of built forms both as temporary structures and built-for-performance spaces was prevalent. It also tells us that these spaces were popular and part of Sanskrit theatre presentations. As such following a brief mention of the different types of theatres as mentioned in texts on drama, dance, and architecture, this article looks at how the Natyagriha of the Natyasastra has been described, to look at how the theatre was adapted to Sanskrit drama.

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