Contextualizing Rāmavijaya Within and Beyond the Tradition of Indian Dramaturgy, as Prescribed by the Nāṭyaśāstra

Abstract

The Indian performative space is a diverse and varied one. Historically and culturally, there have coexisted various forms of performances, be it the Sanskrit classical plays or the traditional performances emerging from the local or the community. Central to the aesthetics of Indian theatre and performance laid the 2000- year-old Nāṭyaśāstra, often compared to Aristotle’s Poetics. This paper will examine one such traditional performance, Rāmavijaya, belonging to the tradition of Ankiyabhaonas in medieval Assam and will locate it within the context of the Nāṭyaśāstra, the canonical guidebook to Indian dramaturgy.