Vikramorvashiyam - by A N D Kalidasa (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The earthly King Pururavas rescues the celestial nymph Urvashi from a demon, and thus begins a love story that brings heaven and earth together. The lovers must overcome a range of obstacles, including a heavenly curse and a magical transformation before they can be together. A magnificent drama based on an episode from the Rig Veda, Vikramovarshiyam is filled with dramatic turns of event, music and dance. The scenes, characters and dialogues are at once lively and dramatic as well as sensitive and speculative. Believed to be the second of Kalidasa's three plays, it is a treat for the senses.

About the Author

Kalidasa, perhaps the most extraordinary of India's classical poets, composed seven major works: three plays, two epic poems, and two lyric poems. According to legend, he lived at the end of the fourth century, and was one of the 'nine jewels' in the court of the Gupta king Chandragupta II. Although very little is known about his life, Kalidasa's popularity has endured for centuries.

A.N.D. Haksar is a well-known translator of Sanskrit classics. A long-time career diplomat, he served as the Indian high commissioner in Kenya and the Seychelles, minister in the United States, and ambassador in Portugal and Yugoslavia. His translations from the Sanskrit include Hitopadesa, SimhasanaDvatrimsika, Subhashitavali, Kama Sutra, The Courtesan's Keeper, The Seduction of Shiva, Suleiman Charitra, Raghuvamsam, and Three Hundred Verses, all published in Penguin Classics.