Chaturbhaani: A Unified Text of Ancient Sanskrit Bhana

Understanding Bhana and Chaturbhaani

The term Bhana derives from the root 'Bhan,' meaning 'to speak.' Bharata describes Bhana as a monologue narrated by a single actor featuring multiple characters and situations. Abhinavagupta characterized it as a satirical performance where a single actor talks to oneself, engages with imaginary interlocutors, and imitates other characters.

Chaturbhaani is a unified text amalgamating four Bhana works: Padmaprāvṛtakam, Ubhayābhisārikā, Pādatāḍitakam, and Dhūrtavīṭasaṃvāda, authored respectively by Shudraka, Vararuchi, Shyamilaka, and Ishwar Dutta. In the performance, a character named Vit journeys through a city and meets various individuals.

Director Piyal Bhattacharya

Piyal Bhattacharya is a theatre practitioner and scholar who developed 'Marga Natya,' a holistic system of theatrical performance. He merges the wisdom of vaak-anga-sattvaja Abhinaya based on Bharata's system of nritta-geet-vadya from the Natyashastra. Bhattacharya has received accolades including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Sanskrit theatre, the honorary Maha Mahopadhyay title, and the Tagore National Scholarship.

In the director's note, Bhattacharya explains that Bhana is enacted by one person using techniques such as ākāśabhāṣita. Preparation for Chaturbhaani involved music and instrument learning sessions, alongside training on the sahitya and linguistic facets of Bhana under Ashtavadhani Shri Umamaheshwara N. from Bengaluru.

Chidakash Kalalay Group

Founded in 2013, Chidakash Kalalay is an institution based on the wisdom of Bharata's Natyashastra. The group focuses on the Guru-Shishya Parampara, self-improvement, and the contemplative nature of art, engaging students in activities ranging from learning music and kalamkari painting to costume design and prop creation.