alankar

Alankar, usually transliterated as alankara, means ornament or decoration in Sanskrit. In Indian aesthetics, the term denotes a class of devices that ornament language or performance. It is a foundational concept in Sanskrit poetics and dramaturgy, appearing in classical treatises such as the Natyashastra and later works. Alankaras are categorized in various ways, often broadly as shabda-alankara (sound-based ornaments) and artha-alankara (meaning-based ornaments). Commonly cited figures of speech include upama (simile), rupaka (metaphor), utpreksha (vivid or suggestive image), and shlesha (pun or wordplay); other devices such as anupraasa (repetition or anaphora) and vakrokti (oblique expression) also figure in traditional lists. Alankaras contribute to the aesthetic effect, rhythm, and beauty of a text, while remaining subject to the conventions of meter, rasa (emotional flavor), and style.

In Indian classical music, alankara refers to ornamental exercises or melodic patterns used in training. These musical alankaras teach scale usage, phrasing, and stylistic nuances, and are employed in both Hindustani and Carnatic pedagogy. They may be performed as short practice pieces or integrated into larger compositions, with many school- or lineage-specific variants.

Beyond literature and music, alankara also denotes decorative elements in performance arts such as dance and drama, where stylized gestures and expression function as aesthetic ornaments. Across these domains, alankara embodies the idea of enriching a work or performance through carefully crafted embellishment.