---
title: "Navarasa: The Nine Rasas Explained | Model Diplomat"
description: "Navarasa is the nine rasas — śṛṅgāra to śānta — codified in Bharata's Natyashastra. A UPSC GS1 art-and-culture staple distinct from bhava. See examples."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/navarasa"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Navarasa is the canonical set of nine emotional states or aesthetic flavours that classical Indian dramaturgy and performance theory identify as the foundation of artistic expression.
- Who first codified the rasas, and why are there nine rather than eight?
- What is the difference between bhāva and rasa?
- How is a rasa produced according to the Nāṭyaśāstra?
- Why does navarasa matter for UPSC art-and-culture preparation?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Navarasa is the canonical set of nine emotional states or aesthetic flavours that classical Indian dramaturgy and performance theory identify as the foundation of artistic expression.

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Example

In 2021 producer Mani Ratnam released the Netflix anthology film Navarasa, with nine short films each dramatising one of the nine rasas, from śṛṅgāra to śānta, to aid pandemic-affected Tamil film workers.

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