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KALIDASA - India's greatest Sanskarit poet and dramatist

KALIDASA - India's greatest Sanskarit poet and dramatist

KALIDASA - India's greatest Sanskarit poet and dramatist   


Period : 4th - 5th centuries BC

Language : Sanskarit 

Occupation : Poet and Dramatist 


                     View on life of Kalidas                    

Kalidas is arguably India's greatest Sanskarit poet and dramatist , his title Kavikulaguru ("Preceptor of All Poets") bearing testimony to his stature . Known to be an ardent worshipper of Shiva , he wrote his plays and poetry largely based around Hindu mythology and philosophy . the exact dates of his life are disputed. 


Some Indian scholars believe he existed around the 1st century BC in Ujjain , but others believe , that his works may have been written around the middle of the 4th and 5th centuries AD , during the reigns of Chandragupta Vikramaaditya , and his , successor , Kumaaragupta . 


He was one of the so - called Nine Gems of Vikramaaditya's court in Ujjain . The earlier claim pointing to his existence around the 1st century BC , is supported by his play on the Sunga king Agnimitra , who belonged to that period : it seems unlikely that he would have made this obscure king the hero of his play unless he belonged to that period . 


The Vikram calendar also begins with 58 - 57 BC . however , not much is known about his personal life and background , though there are several legends and tales about his life . 


Three famous plays attributed to Kalidas are "Maalavikaagnimitra (Maalavikaa and Agnimitra)" , Vikramuurvashiiya (Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvasi) and Abhignaa - nashaakuntala (the Recognition of Sakuntala) . The latter is his most famous play , and was the first to be translated into English and German .


Kalidasa is also known for his poetry . His two most famous epic poems are Kumaarasambhavam (The birth of Kumaara) and Raghuvamsha (The Clan of Raghu) , and ywo famous lyrical poems are Meghaduuta (The Cloud Messenger) and Rtusamhaara (The Exposition on the Seasons).  




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