Elena Catalano and Maryam Shakiba will be presenting "The Ashta Nayikas Explored Through Odissi" at this symposium in Oxford.

The classification of heroines (nāyikās) and heroes (nāyakas) is a central aspect of Indian aesthetic philosophy, taking place in dramaturgical works and Sanskrit treatises such as the Nāṭyaśāstra, in medieval bhakti poetry and in later vernacular works.

This presentation explores the idea of the nāyikā through the lens of the performing arts tradition of South Asia, particularly in the context of Bhakti. Odissi, one of the main dance forms of India and attributed in the 20th century with classical status, refers heavily to a core text of the Bhakti period for its repertoire: the Gita Govinda, seminal work of the poet Jayadeva.