Author Chandra Man Munikar’s book, Charya Nepal—Vajrayan Tantric Charya Dance, was launched at the Mandala Theatre in the Capital on Wednesday. The book is an English translation of the Nepali edition published in 2014.

Munikar is a scholar of the Newar Charya Nritya dance, which loosely translates from Sanskrit to “dance as a spiritual discipline.” According to Munikar, Charya Nritya, rather than being performed for entertainment purposes, is a form of “moving meditation” in which a performer uses his movements to evoke the same state of mind which meditation would bring about.

At the launch, Munika elaborated that his book touches various aspects of the dance ranging from its philosophy—which deals with the concept of “sunyata” or nothingness—to the dance’s cultural and educational value.

“Charya dance is a practice that sharpens the mind and increases focus. It is beneficial for anyone—students, businessmen, performers—since it helps to foster discipline in a person,” Munikar said. According to the author, Charya Nritya’s pure form is not found in any other country, and enthusiasts from Tibet, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and other nations greatly revere the Charya Nritya as performed in Nepal.

The launch saw the gathering of literary and history enthusiasts, including historian Satya Mohan Joshi.