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Piyal Bhattacharya

Piyal Bhattacharya

Founder & Artistic Director, Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity

Kolkata, West Bengal, IND

Shri Piyal Bhattacharya is a renowned scholar, musicologist, dramaturg, and traditional practitioner. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity, Kolkata. An authority on Nāṭyaśāstra, Gandharva …

2 pieces of writing 1 followers

Œuvre

Complete categorized corpus of academic papers, philosophical discourses, literary works, published books, lectures, and institutional appointments.

2 Total Works 1 Category

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles 2 Articles

Published in PIJCACE — Poorvam International Journal of Classical & Contemporary Academic Studies

PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 2 Performance, Dance, and Theatre Studies Open Access Mar 07, 2026

The Metaphysics of ‘Embodiment’ in Bharata’s System of Nāṭya: The Dynamics of ‘Extra-Daily’

This critical essay examines the metaphysical foundations of embodiment in Bharata's Nāṭyaśāstra, arguing that the sthānas, cārīs, and karaṇas are not merely physical movements but psychophysical embodiments of cosmic tattvas. Drawing on parallels between the cosmological unfolding described in Taittirīya Upaniṣad and the theatrical universe of nāṭya, this study demonstrates how Bharata systematically creates an 'extra-daily' performance dimension through consecrated space, non-empirical time (tāla), and embodied gravitational presence. The essay explores how expansion of space through sthānas manifests specific energies (rūpa and guṇa), how cārīs dynamically explore floor and aerial space, and how karaṇas serve as epistemological tools for acquiring embodied knowledge. Central to this analysis is the concept of Kaiśikī vṛtti, which transforms daily actions into extra-daily artistic expressions capable of generating alaukika rasa experience. This metaphysical framework reveals Bharata's system as a parallel universe creation on stage, where psychophysical embodiments serve the ultimate purpose of delivering dharmic teachings while elevating both performers and spectators beyond mundane emotional experiences.

5 min read DOI: 10.63752/pijcace.0102W01 566 52
Volume 1, Issue 2 (Winter 2025)
DOI Read Article
PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 1 Aesthetics and Art Philosophy Open Access Jun 01, 2025

Bharata Muni as a Microcosm of Cosmic Emanation: Sustaining, Offering and Expanding Nāṭya through Icchā, Jñāna, and Kriyā

This paper examines Bharata Muni through a traditional śāstrika lens, moving beyond historical debates to interpret him as a cosmic principle of performative knowledge (nāṭya-jñāna). Using Sanskrit philological analysis, the study unpacks the name Bharata as bharati-rāti-tanoti (sustains-offers-expands), revealing a microcosmic model of cosmic emanation functioning through icchā (will), jñāna (knowledge), and kriyā (action). The analysis demonstrates how Bharata represents not merely an individual scholar but a community of artists—a sampradāya embodying the dharma of manifesting and offering theatrical knowledge for collective benefit. Drawing from the Nāṭyaśāstra, Abhinavabhāratī, Upanishads, and dharmaśāstra texts, the paper establishes connections between aesthetic theory and spiritual goals, positioning nāṭya as a means to transcend material existence and achieve Self-realization. The study reveals how Bharata's system transforms both performers and spectators through rasa (aesthetic experience), leading from material engagement to spiritual awakening. This interpretation emphasizes nāṭya's role as dharmic practice rather than mere entertainment, offering a framework for understanding Indian performance traditions as vehicles for mokṣa (liberation) through the integration of artistic excellence with spiritual discipline.

5 min read DOI: 10.63752/pijcace.vol.1.issue.01S.001 1,981 43
Volume 1, Issue 1 (Summer 2025)
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Piyal Bhattacharya Article · Mar 07, 2026 · PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 2

The Metaphysics of ‘Embodiment’ in Bharata’s System of Nāṭya: The Dynamics of ‘Extra-Daily’

This critical essay examines the metaphysical foundations of embodiment in Bharata's Nāṭyaśāstra, arguing that the sthānas, cārīs, and karaṇas are not merely physical movements but psychophysical embodiments of cosmic tattvas. Drawing on parallels between the cosmological unfolding described in Taittirīya Upaniṣad and the theatrical universe of nāṭya, this study demonstrates how Bharata systematically creates an 'extra-daily' performance dimension through consecrated space, non-empirical time (tāla), and embodied gravitational presence. The essay explores how expansion of space through sthānas manifests specific energies (rūpa and guṇa), how cārīs dynamically explore floor and aerial space, and how karaṇas serve as epistemological tools for acquiring embodied knowledge. Central to this analysis is the concept of Kaiśikī vṛtti, which transforms daily actions into extra-daily artistic expressions capable of generating alaukika rasa experience. This metaphysical framework reveals Bharata's system as a parallel universe creation on stage, where psychophysical embodiments serve the ultimate purpose of delivering dharmic teachings while elevating both performers and spectators beyond mundane emotional experiences.

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Piyal Bhattacharya Article · Jun 01, 2025 · PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 1

Bharata Muni as a Microcosm of Cosmic Emanation: Sustaining, Offering and Expanding Nāṭya through Icchā, Jñāna, and Kriyā

This paper examines Bharata Muni through a traditional śāstrika lens, moving beyond historical debates to interpret him as a cosmic principle of performative knowledge (nāṭya-jñāna). Using Sanskrit philological analysis, the study unpacks the name Bharata as bharati-rāti-tanoti (sustains-offers-expands), revealing a microcosmic model of cosmic emanation functioning through icchā (will), jñāna (knowledge), and kriyā (action). The analysis demonstrates how Bharata represents not merely an individual scholar but a community of artists—a sampradāya embodying the dharma of manifesting and offering theatrical knowledge for collective benefit. Drawing from the Nāṭyaśāstra, Abhinavabhāratī, Upanishads, and dharmaśāstra texts, the paper establishes connections between aesthetic theory and spiritual goals, positioning nāṭya as a means to transcend material existence and achieve Self-realization. The study reveals how Bharata's system transforms both performers and spectators through rasa (aesthetic experience), leading from material engagement to spiritual awakening. This interpretation emphasizes nāṭya's role as dharmic practice rather than mere entertainment, offering a framework for understanding Indian performance traditions as vehicles for mokṣa (liberation) through the integration of artistic excellence with spiritual discipline.

Read

Bio

Shri Piyal Bhattacharya is a renowned scholar, musicologist, dramaturg, and traditional practitioner. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity, Kolkata. An authority on Nāṭyaśāstra, Gandharva music, ancient Indian dance traditions (nṛtta and karaṇa reconstruction), and the philosophical treatises of Ācārya Abhinavagupta, his research synthesizes traditional śāstric philology with embodied artistic practice.

Work

Founder & Artistic Director
Centre of Art and Divinity, Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity

Education

Ph.D. in Archaeology
Indian Aesthetics & Nāṭyaśāstra

IDs

  • Poorvam ID: PV-2026-PB01

Contact

chidakash.spanda@gmail.com