Abhinaya

Glossary

According to the Natyashastra, it may be understood as a combination of two words — abhi meaning “towards” and naya meaning “to carry.” An important concept within Indian aesthetics, it refers to the art of expression but may be understood more specifically as a way of leading the audience to the comprehension of an emotion, or bhava. Abhinaya can be of four kinds — angika, which uses body movements and postures, vacika, which involves the use of speech, including poems, lyrics and dialogue; aharya, which uses costumes, makeup, props and sets; and sattvika, that involves feelings from within.

FILED UNDER

Pre-Modern Art

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Abhinaya”. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abhinaya/
MLA	“Abhinaya.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abhinaya/. Accessed 27, April, 2024.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Abhinaya. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abhinaya/. (Accessed: 27, April, 2024)