Natya Shastra is an ancient Indian treatise on performing arts, attributed to the sage Bharata.

It
covers a wide range of topics related to dance, music, and drama, including the concept of "rasa" or
emotion, the different types of actors, and their roles in a performance.

In Natya Shastra, a "nayika" refers to a female character who is the protagonist or main heroine in a
performance. There are eight types of nayikas described in the Natya Shastra, each with their own
distinct characteristics and emotional states.

The eight types of nayikas are:

1. Vasakasajja: The nayika who is dressed up and waiting for her lover to come to her.

2. Virahotkanthita: The nayika who is pining for her lover who is absent.

3. Svadhinabhartruka: The nayika who is independent and in control of her own destiny.

4. Kalahantarita: The nayika who has had a quarrel with her lover.

5. Khandita: The nayika who feels betrayed by her lover's infidelity.

6. Vipralabdha: The nayika who has been deceived or cheated by her lover.

7. Proshitabhartruka: The nayika whose lover has gone away for some reason.

8. Abhisarika: The nayika who goes out to meet her lover in secret.

Each of these types of nayikas has its own set of physical and emotional characteristics, and they are
often portrayed through specific gestures, facial expressions, and vocal modulations. The nayikas play
an important role in creating the emotional resonance of the performance and are often
accompanied by other characters such as the nayaka (male lead) or the vidusaka (jester or clown).

The Natya Shastra describes four types of actors or performers:

1. Sutradhara: The sutradhara is the master of ceremonies, who manages the overall
performance and coordinates the different elements of the production.
2. Nata: The nata is the lead actor, who portrays the main character in the performance.
The nata is skilled in acting, singing, and dancing, and is responsible for conveying
the emotional content of the performance to the audience.
3. Vidusaka: The vidusaka is the clown or jester, who provides comic relief and
commentary on the actions of the other characters.
4. Upa-nata: The upa-nata is the supporting actor, who plays a secondary role in the
performance. The upa-nata may also be responsible for providing musical
accompaniment or singing.

In Natya Shastra, the nayikas are often accompanied by a male lead, or nayaka, who plays
the role of the hero or romantic interest of the nayika. The nayaka is often portrayed as a
valiant and heroic figure, who is deeply in love with the nayika and is willing to go to
great lengths to win her affection.

The nayaka serves as a foil to the nayika's emotional state, providing a counterbalance to her
intense feelings of love, longing, or betrayal. Together, they create a dynamic and complex
emotional landscape for the audience, who can identify with the characters' struggles and
experiences.
Furthermore, the relationship between the nayika and the nayaka is an essential element of
Indian classical dance and drama. The nayika-nayaka relationship represents the ideal of love
and devotion, where the man and woman are equals in their emotions and desires. The
portrayal of this relationship through dance and drama is seen as a celebration of the beauty
and complexity of human emotions and relationships.