**M. NAGABHUSHANA SARMA** With this number of *Nartanam*, we venture to present a new (not entirely new, but a modified) perspective of dance evaluation and criticism in the sense that we would like to offer, as we have done here, a wide spectrum of articles on various facets of a single style of Indian classical dance tradition. Multiple evaluations of the form from different angles is a known format. For example, we say 'abhinaya' in Manipuri, 'angika abhinaya' in Kathak and so on. Such critical evaluations are needed and lead to a micro-, in-depth understanding of an art form. But the lack of a wholesome perspective of an art form hinders the general readers and students to have a wider understanding of the art to enable them to strengthen their basic understanding of the dance form, the possible influences and proto-forms that helped formulate the structural and aesthetic principles and so