The Traditional Indian Theory and Practice of Music and Dance

The articles in this volume are revised versions of papers presented at a session organized by Dr Sanjukta Gupta and the author for the 1987 World Sanskrit Conference in Leiden. The general interest in this session was the role of the Sanskrit tradition in the performing arts in India. Narrowing this down, the organizers invited participants to consider the relations between theory and practice in music and dance, with particular reference to the Sanskrit textual tradition of musicology. The responses to this invitation varied in approach. Broadly speaking, the discussions were concerned with two areas of investigation. Some examined the ways in which the theoretical trteatises could throw light on the history of the arts themselves; others explored the theoretical models and explanations as systems for understanding and codifying ideas and practices. This book raises through detailed discussions in this field, more general issues found in the character of sastric technical discourse.