2016-07-05 Tue

The first day of Hindu month “Ashadha” is celebrated as “Mahakavi Kalidasa Divas”. Over many centuries India has produced number of gems from her soil. Among others, Kalidasa is the most radiant gem in the treasure that is India.

Though much of his life is unknown, Kalidasa is considered to belong to the Golden Age of Ancient India i.e. the Gupta Era. With numerous works of arts flourishing during the time, Kalidasa’s name is at the epitome of the Indian literature.

Numerous works have been attributed to his authorship. Inspiration to his work seems to have come from the Puranas. There are plays, epics, Khandakavyas (short poems) and many more works under his authorship. However, the most famous among them include 3 plays, 2 Epic poems and 2 Khandakavya. The three plays AbhidnyanShakuntala, Malavikagnimitra as well as Vikramorvasiyam tell the greatest love stories of the Puranas.

The two epic poems Raghuvamsa and Kumarasambhava are peculiar examples of Indian Literature. Raghuvamsa which gives an elaborate account of the kings of Raghu Dynasty is considered to be one of the strongest evidences of history. On the other hand, Kumarasambhava is a great narration of the Birth of Goddess Parvati and her marriage to Lord Shiva.

The two Khandakavyas “Rutusamhara” and “Meghaduta” are equally beautiful. The “Rutusamhara” describes the six seasons by narrating the experiences of two lovers in each of the seasons whereas “Meghaduta” the story of a Yaksha trying to send a message to his lover through a cloud is known for its lyrical sweetness.

This literary genius is commemorated by India Post through two postage stamps. Issued in the year of 1960 the stamps come with two different denominations and feature two famous works of Kalidasa. The stamp of 15 Naya Paisa features a scene and lines from Meghaduta where as the stamp of INR1.03 features Shakuntala and her friends in a meadow along with lines written at the bottom.

This day is also celebrated as "Jagatik Sanskrit Divas"