Nayika Bheda: Rhetorical Representation of Women in Miniature Art and Sculptures

This article explores the conceptual framework of Nayika Bheda as formulated in the Natyasastra and elaborated on the Radha–Krishna literary tradition. Initially conceived as a poetic and aesthetic response to gendered distinctions, Nayika Bheda later became a guiding principle for courtly artwork. Focusing on Indian sculptures and miniature paintings, theses study examines the representation of women through their emotions, roles, and identities. Grounded in classical Indian aesthetics, the typology of female protagonists (nayikas) is analyzed as a visual and rhetorical device that articulates love, femininity, and eroticism. By situating Nayika Bheda within the broader framework of Alankara Shastra and Sanskrit literary criticism (Kavya), theses article highlights the intersections of Kavya, Kama, and Alankara Shastra. These interdisciplinary connections illuminate the cultural and aesthetic strategies through which women are represented in the Indian visual traditions.