Editing Humour (section)

===India===
In ancient [[Sanskrit drama]], [[Bharata Muni]]'s ''[[Natya Shastra]]'' defined humour (''[[hāsya]]m'') as one of the nine ''[[nava rasas]]'', or principle ''[[Rasa (aesthetics)|rasas]]'' (emotional responses), which can be inspired in the audience by ''[[bhava]]s'', the imitations of emotions that the actors perform. Each ''rasa'' was associated with a specific ''[[bhava]]s'' portrayed on stage.