Contents: Introduction. Acknowledgements. Diacritical marks. 1. Nayika Bheda in Samskrta literature: i. Etymology. ii. Nayika Bheda in Natya-Sastra. iii. Nayika Bheda in Agni Purana. iv. Nayika Bheda in Kavyalankara. v. Nayika Bheda in Dasarupakam. vi. Nayika Bheda in Sarasvati Kanthabharana. vii. Nayika Bheda in Natya Darpana. viii. Nayika Bheda in Bhava Prakasanam. ix. Nayika Bheda in Rasa Manjari. x. Nayika Bheda in Sahitya Darpana. xi. Nayika Bheda in Ujjvala-Nilamani. 2. Nayika Bheda in Hindi literature: i. Evolution of Radha-Krsna Keli Varnana. ii. The acarya of Riti period. iii. Sub-division of Mugdha. iv. Sub-division of Madhya and Pragalbha. v. Parakiya Nayika. vi. Astanayika. 3. Nayika Bheda in traditional Kathak: i. Relationship of Sangita vis-a-vis Sahitya. ii. The character of Nrtta and Nrtya : place of pada therein. iii. Vakyarthabhinaya prevails over Padarthabhinaya. iv. Dance related compositions. v. Sudha Paddhati. vi. Desi Paddhati. vii. Perani Paddhati. viii. The Astapadi. ix. Gita in various dance forms. x. Collaboratory literature of Kathak dance. xi. Nayika Bheda in Kathak Prayoga. xii. Kathak is performed in Dhruvapada and Khayala. xiii. Abhinaya in Kathak. xiv. Music education today. xv. Important Natya Sastriya directions useful for Abhinaya. xvi. Abhinaya of Rati, the Sthayi Bhava of Srngara. xvii. Sancari Bhavas and the method of their Abhinaya. xviii. Satvika Bhavas and their Abhinaya. xix. Angaja Alankaras of women. xx. Natural Alankaras of women. xxi. Indriyabhinaya (acting by the faculty of senses). xxii. Three bhavas of Mana. xxiii. Cesta as of Kulaja in love. xxiv. States of a woman in love when she is not able to meet her lover. xxv. Analytical consideration of some of the musical patterns relating to Nayika Bheda. 4. Compositions related to Nayika Bheda in Kathak. Epilogue. Bibliography.

"Nayika Bheda in Kathak deals with various types of heroines with respect to their mental setup and apparent behaviour. Women are ever unpredictable. A close study of their behaviour right from an early age can provide a clue to dealing with them. Various female characters in Natya, i.e. Drama, revolve around her temperament, and attitude towards life as a whole. Drama attempts to portray true picture of women hitherto called Nayika.

Kathak dance is rich in this respect. It presents various facets of Nayika through a number of Kavittas, Thumaris and the like. However, contrary to general notion, Kathak leads the viewer to higher and sacred levels of Sringara Rasa." (jacket)