writeALONG! 14 June
- Muskaan Ahuja
- Jun 14, 2022
- 1 min read
A TUESDAY FEATURE
host: Muskaan Ahuja
guest editor: Lakshmi Iyer
In Indian aesthetics, a rasa literally means "nectar, essence or taste". Rasa are created by bhavas; a state of mind. Natya Shastra has 9 main rasas:
Shringara - delight/ beauty
Hasya - laughter
Karuna - compassion
Adbhuta - wonder
Bibhatsa - disgust
Veera - bravery
Raudra - anger
Bhayanak - fear
Shanta - peaceful
Haiku does reflect the state / moods of our mind in relation with the surroundings. Can you take the first three; Shringara, Hasya, and Karuna and express them in your poems?
Just sharing a few of mine, hope it makes a difference.
Shringara/ beauty, love, delight
.
growing up ...
her eyes meet her curves
for the umpteenth time
.
Hasya/ laughter
.
siblings fight
the dog barks away
with the ball
.
Karuna/ compassion
.
gun salute
memories of the lost
in golden letters
--- Lakshmi Iyer
Waiting to read yours...
Trying:
a hoolock gibbon walking like a man ... granddaughter's eyes
hasya - humour
**
unkept promises the tender leaves talk of a new beginning
karuna - compassion **
Wow! I spent last night scanning info online about the Natya Shastra. What a vast undertaking it will be to study this. I'd need at least another lifetime to take it all in.
And to think that Muni composed this at a time when western Europeans were still wearing animal skins in mud-and-wattle huts! My deep deep bow to the depth of Indian culture, it's arts and aesthetics!
---Billie
Revised, thanks to Laksmi and Kala
fish market ...
a man twitches
his nose
Or
fish market ...
the change he pulls out
of his lungi
Original:
local fish market
a man holds the hankie
below his nose
Hasya
Hasya:
Mumbai traffic an old gent lifts his dhoti to scratch
Yes, actually observed mid-traffic jam!
Question: is "dhoti" the right word in Maharashtra?
Karuna:
the small child sweeping our courtyard . . . rose petals
I am enjoying these prompts; very stimulating. Thank you.