On Guru Purnima and foundation day of Kalakosh division of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the centre unveiled a statue of sage of theatrologist Bharat Muni, who composed the Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit text on performing arts.
The statue was unveiled by Sonal Mansingh (Rajya Sabha MP and classical dancer), Ram Bahadur Rai (IGNCA president and senior journalist), and Adwaita Gadanayak (National Gallery of Modern Art, director general and sculptor), Bharat Gupta (trustee, IGNCA) and dancer Padma Subrahmanyam.
While speaking about the statue, she said that she had a sight of Bharat Muni in Dhyan Mudra.
The black sculpture, conceptualised by Subrahmanyam and sculpted by Bengaluru-based artists TN Rathna and S Venkataramana, represents divine forces and the classical art tradition of India. Archeologist R Jaganathan had guided the sculpture.
The Natya Shastra is considered to be the oldest literature in the field of dramatic arts. Legends say that when god asked Brahma to create a Veda that could be understood by commoners, he created Panchamaveda (fifth Veda) called the Natyaveda. After creating the Natyaveda, Brahma asked Bharat Muni to popularise this Veda on earth. For this, sage Bharat introduced Natya Shastra.
Among others, Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, (member secretary of IGNCA), Mallapuram G Vinkatesh (ex-vice chancellor of Karanataka University), and Sanskrit scholar Satyvrat Shastri was also present there.