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Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Origin and objectives. 3. The first production. 4. Theatre-house and the stage. 5. Purvaranga. 6. Abhinaya. 7. Stagecraft. 8. Ten forms of stage-representations. 9. Play-construction. 10. Rasa theory. 11. Conclusion. Index. 

"Bharata's Natyasastra, the earliest treatise on dramatics, is, even today, the origin of our dramatic tradition. Besides being the most important study of dramatics, it is also the most comprehensive. The all-inclusive quality, however, creates problems for the reader who has to go through a great deal of unnecessary information. In his Introduction to Bharata's Natyasastra, the author has culled all information essential and relevant to drama, eliminating the superfluous. Eschewing attempts to provide any kind of a scholarly or original interpretation of Bharata's views, the author has focused on giving the reader a connected account of the study of dramatics using modern terminology. The purpose is to introduce those interested in drama to Bharata's wisdom and to throw light on the state of dramatics in ancient India. Written in a simple and lucid style, the author takes the reader through topics like theatre houses, the stage and stage craft, play-construction and the rasa theory. All lovers of drama are sure to find this book both useful and absorbing." [Adya- Rangacharya's works include Drama in Sanskrit Literature; Indian Theatre; The Natyasastra and Introduction to the Comparative Philology and Indo-Aryan Languages.]