Attentive Minds: A History of the Indian Performative Art of Avadhana from the Origin to Modern Times

From tenth-century South India to twenty-first-century cultural events, from the court assemblies to the public space: Attentive Minds takes you on a journey through the fascinating world of avadhana, a complex and long-living performative art of India whose practitioners showcase highly developed cognitive skills (like attention, ability to multitask, memory) and specialized knowledge. With the help of epigraphic and literary sources and field research, Hermina Cielas reconstructs avadhana's history in its socio-cultural context and provides a detailed systematization of the art. Her multifaceted study investigates the cultural phenomenon scarcely known outside of India. It explores avadhana's multiple forms, from games and puzzles, through a display of mnemonic or motor skills, to multilingual literary feasts.