Attentive Minds: A History of the Indian Performative Art of Avadh?na from the Origin to Modern Times by Cielas, Hermina;

Short description:

The book offers a study of avadh?na, a centuries-old Indian performing art. Through the analysis of epigraphic and literary sources and field research, the author reconstructs avadh?na?s history in the socio-cultural context and gives a detailed systematization of the art.

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Long description:

From tenth-century South India to twenty-first-century cultural events, from the court assemblies to the public space: Attentive Minds takes you on a journey through the fascinating world of avadh?na, a complex and long-living performative art of India whose practitioners showcase highly developed cognitive skills (like attention, ability to multitask, memory) and specialized knowledge.

With the help of epigraphic and literary sources and field research, Hermina Cielas reconstructs avadh?na?s history in its socio-cultural context and provides a detailed systematization of the art. Her multifaceted study investigates the cultural phenomenon scarcely known outside of India. It explores avadh?na?s multiple forms, from games and puzzles, through a display of mnemonic or motor skills, to multilingual literary feasts.

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Table of Contents:

Contents


Acknowledgements


List of Figures


Abbreviations


Introduction

Part 1: Towards the Avadh?na

1 Celebration of Cognitive Skills


 1 Concentration and Attentiveness


 2 Memory, Memorization, and Chanting Vedas


 3 Retention





2 Riddles, Skills, and Arts


 1 Creating and Solving Riddles


 2 The 64 (or More) Arts and Skills


 3 The Influence of Theatre and N??yaś?stra





3 Performing Literary Composition


 1 The Underlying Principles of Indian Poetry


 2 The Four Types of Poetry


 3 Multilingualism


 4 Kavigo??h?

Part 2: The Great (Systematized) Improvisation

4 The Systematization of Avadh?na


 1 The General Tenets and Basic Division of Avadh?na


 2 Hidden behind the Numbers


 3 The Duration of a Performance


 4 Mnemonic Forms of Avadh?na


 5 Technical Avadh?nas and Their Tasks


 6 Artistic Forms of Avadh?na





5 The Languages of Avadh?na





6 Performing Traditions, Fostering Communities


 1 A (Cultural) Performance


 2 The Ritualistic and Liminoid Aspects of Avadh?na

Part 3: Voices from the Stones and Scriptures

7 Tablets, Stones, and Copperplates


 1 The Inscription from Vallimalai


 2 The Nandampundi Grant and N?r?ya?a


 3 Mallik?rjuna Bha??a and Someśvara in the Epigraphs from Belagami and Ablur


 4 Devaśarm? in the Inscription from Halsi


 5 Viśvan?tha from Belvola in the Inscriptions from Kembalu and Haranahalli


 6 The Avadh?n?s of the N?n?ka praśastis





8 Avadh?na in the Literary Sources


 1 Ved?vadh?n?s


 2 Avadh?na at the Mughal Courts


 3 Female Artists at the 17th-Century N?yaka Court in Tanjore


 4 Avat??is


 5 The Others





9 Spatial and Temporal Aspects of Avadh?na


 1 On the Origin of Avadh?na


 2 The Time and Place of Avadh?na Performances

Part 4: Figures on the Stage

10 The Preparation of Avadh?n?


 1 The Ideal Kavi and Preparation for Performing S?hity?vadh?na


 2 Preparing to Perform Technical and Non-literary Artistic Avadh?nas


 3 Memory Training and the Methods of Enhancing Cognitive Skills





11 In the Milieu of Avadh?n?s


 1 The Avadh?n?s and Their Position in Society


 2 Women in Avadh?na


 3 The Role of the Teacher in Avadh?na


 4 The Questioners





12 The Challenges of the 20th and 21st Centuries


 1 Changes of Patronage, Critique of the Art, and the Crisis of S?hity?vadh?na


 2 The Revival, Influence of Technology and Media, and Commercialization of Avadh?na


 3 Organizing Avadh?na


 4 The Prospects




Appendix 1: Selected Examples of Historical and Contemporary Practitioners of Avadh?na

Appendix 2: Selected Verses Composed by Avadh?n?s and P?cchakas

Appendix 3: A Glossary of Terms Connected to Avadh?na

Bibliography

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