Abhinaya, Bhava, Rasa and Navarasa
What this domain tests
You must distinguish abhinaya’s four channels, identify navarasa, and explain how bhava becomes rasa rather than merely naming emotions.
Core concepts
- Angika: movement of body, limbs, hands and face.
- Vachika: song, speech, padhant and poetic text.
- Aharya: costume, makeup, jewellery and stage properties.
- Sattvika: involuntary/emotional responses such as tears, trembling or changes in breath.
Bhava is an emotional state or mood; rasa is the spectator’s aesthetic relish arising when vibhava (cause), anubhava (response) and vyabhichari bhava (transitory states) combine. The navarasa are shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, veera, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta and shanta.
Worked example
A thumri line says Krishna has not come. The dancer’s searching eyes, hesitant steps and outstretched hand are angika; the sung line is vachika; the costume and mood lighting are aharya; a caught breath or tear is sattvika. The situation is vipralambha shringara (love in separation), but the dominant relish may shade into karuna. The reasoning names the cause, the response and the resulting rasa.
Traps that cost marks
- Listing navarasa but omitting shanta.
- Treating bhava and rasa as synonyms.
- Reducing abhinaya to facial expression only.
- Forgetting vachika and aharya in a “complete abhinaya” answer.
- Labelling every devotional piece as shanta; shanta is peace, not mere devotion.