Sarngadeva's Sangitaratnakara edited by Deepti Omchery Bhalla is the latest addition to Bhavan's 'Natya, Nritya and Sangita Series'.
Sangitaratnakara is a monumental work written around the 13th century by the great scholar who originally hailed from Kashmir and settled in the region of Devagiri (present day Daultabad) in Deccan. It is perhaps because of the detailed information it elucidates about the ancient tradition, incorporating with the tradition that existed, that this work became an important source of material for many scholars later.
In Sangitaratnakara, Sangita is defined as an art form that combines 'Gitam'(melodic structures created by voice and stringed and wind instruments), 'Vadyam (syllabic structures created by skin covered instruments) and 'Nrittam'(visual forms created by movements of the various limbs of the human body).