This book uses modern pedagogical methods and tools that allow students to grasp straightforward original Sanskrit texts within weeks.

First Steps Towards Sanskrit: Language, Linguistics and Culture is an accessible first introduction to this ancient Indian language. Complete beginners are introduced to the language from scratch. Key terms are explained clearly and there is an extensive glossary to assist the reader who is unfamiliar with the terminology of language learning. By the end of the book, learners will have grasped the basics of the language and be prepared to engage readily in an introductory college or university course or through private study. The addition of cultural, linguistic and historical notes will appeal to learners with diverse interests, ranging from religious studies and philosophy to yoga and comparative or historical linguistics. The book includes references to classical and modern European languages. Parallels are also drawn with Indic languages where these are relevant, particularly as concerns the writing system. No knowledge of any language other than English is, however, presupposed. This book is ideal for both self-study and in-class use as a primer or core text for pre-sessional courses.

A comprehensive and authoritative single-volume reference work on the theatre arts of Asia-Oceania. Nine expert scholars provide entries on performance in twenty countries from Pakistan in the west, through India and Southeast Asia to China, Japan and Korea in the east. An introductory pan-Asian essay explores basic themes - they include ritual, dance, puppetry, training, performance and masks. The national entries concentrate on the historical development of theatre in each country, followed by entries on the major theatre forms, and articles on playwrights, actors and directors. The entries are accompanied by rare photographs and helpful reading lists.