bhāva

Indian arts

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June 22, 2026

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The term "bhava" in Indian arts refers to the expression of emotion and sentiment, a crucial element in evoking rasa, or aesthetic flavor, for the audience. This concept is central to classical Indian dance forms like kathakali and kathak, where artists use stylized gestures, facial expressions, and body movements to convey specific feelings.1234

The Natya-shastra, an ancient Sanskrit treatise, outlines four types of abhinaya (histrionic representation) that contribute to expressing bhava: angika (body movements), vachika (speech/song), aharya (costumes/makeup), and sattvika (psychological expression). The successful evocation of rasa through bhava is considered the ultimate goal of Indian performing arts.125

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South Asian arts
Techniques and types of classical dance
…expressing a particular emotion (bhava) and evoking the rasa. Literally, rasa means “taste” or “flavour.” The rasa is that exalted sentiment or mood that the spectator experiences after witnessing a performance. The critics do not generally concern themselves so much about plot construction or technical perfection of a poem…
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…expressing a particular emotion (bhava) and evoking the rasa. Literally, rasa means “taste” or “flavour.” The rasa is that exalted sentiment or mood that the spectator experiences after witnessing a performance. The critics do not generally concern themselves so much about plot construction or technical perfection of a poem…
Read More