Thespian musings beyond Abhinavagupta

Abstract

This paper is the fruit of a close and lasting collaboration between the two authors, Elisa Ganser and Daniele Cuneo, the former being responsible for the first half (pp. 137-160), the latter for the second (pp. 161-183). The present contribution is the continuation of our ongoing research on the thespian experience, whose first instalment focused squarely on Bharata and Abhinavagupta. Elisa Ganser wishes to acknowledge the Swiss National Science Foundation for generously funding research for the present article in the framework of the project Performing Arts and Religious Practices in Classical and Medieval Sanskrit Literature (Department of Indian Studies, University of Zurich). We wish to thank Manasicha Akepiyapornchai and Naresh Keerthi for their insightful suggestions