Mask of Vaikuntha Vishnu, late 5th century. Learn more about 5th century masks
Designed by
One of the nine rasas within Indian performing arts, it may be understood as the feeling of love, or as attraction or beauty. It is considered one of the major rasas, giving scope to other emotions like jealousy, fear, anger and compassion. Based on the its uses, shringara may be divided into four categories — samkshipta, or shyness; sampanna, or the reunion of lovers; sambhoga or the union of lovers, the most prominent of the four; and vipralambha, or the period of separation. The expression of shringara in performance can vary between different forms of dance and could range from the grotesque, in forms such as Koodiyattam, to subtle and delicate, in forms such as Bharatanatyam.