Sanskrit Drama: Its Origin and Development

Abstract: Sanskrit drama is the earliest structured dramatic tradition in world literature. The origins of Sanskrit Dramaturgy continue to be a source of great curiosity among scholars. In Indian tradition, Nāṭya is regarded as a divine art created by Bharata and documented in the Nāṭyaśāstra. Some Western experts have suggested the presence of foreign influences, particularly analogies to Greek drama. This paper examines these principal theories on the formation of Sanskrit drama. Sanskrit drama did not have a simple or solitary beginnings. It found power in holy ceremonies, folk-based dramatic manifestations, palace traditions and the slow evolution of literary culture.