Rasa and Abhinaya in Hindustani Vocal Music: Text, Performance and Aesthetic Communication

Abstract

Hindustani classical music can be viewed through the prism of intricate rhythm and melody, yet its fundamental quality lies in its ability to convey emotion and beauty. This study investigates how song-texts, or bandiś, serve as the main means of achieving rasa realisation. Sound serves as a medium for sophisticated emotional transmission in Hindustani music, which is essentially an artistic and expressive art form. The song text (bandiś, pada, bol) is crucial to this communication process, serving as the main factor influencing rasa-realisation and providing lyrical support. This study explores the connections between rasa, abhinaya, and aesthetic communication in Hindustani vocal music, drawing on the traditional philosophy of rasa as expounded by Abhinavagupta and expressed in Bharata's Nāṭyaśāstra. The paper argues that textual meaning, melodic elaboration, and interpretive improvisation together create a triadic aesthetic exchange among the song-text, the performer, and the listener (sahṛdaya) by analysing the structural and poetic features of song texts across genres such as Dhrupad, Dhamār, khayāl, ṭhumrī, and bhajan. To maintain the aesthetic integrity of Hindustani music, the research also emphasises the pedagogical and contemporary significance of incorporating rasa and abhinaya into performance practice. It examines how the idea of abhinaya, typically associated with dance, is essential to vocal performance. This study examines the triadic interaction among the text, the performer, and the listener (sahṛdaya). It emphasises the need for an integrated approach to preserve the art form's artistic integrity in modern practice.