Biography of Kalidasa complete biography for Class 10, Class 12, and Graduation and other classes.
India : Greatest Sanskrit Dramatist
Birth—Death : 4th-5th Century A.D.
Kalidasa is the greatest known Sanskrit dramatist and poet and in his hands, Sanskrit literature had reached its zenith. He flourished during the reign of the Gupta ruler, Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Kalidasa was one of the Navratnas (9 gems or the most accomplished men of their times) at the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Kalidasa’s works include plays, epics, and lyrics. His play Abhijnana Sakunthalam (Recognition of Sakunthala) is the most well-known of all his works and it has been translated into various languages of the world. In all, 7 works of Kalidasa are available today. These are Malavikagnimitra, Vikramoravasiyam and Abhijnana Sakunthalam (Plays); Raghu Vansa and Kumara Sambhavam (epics) Meghdoot and Ritu Samhara (lyrics).
As far as literary merits are concerned, Meghdoot (Cloud Messenger) is the most excellent work. The readers are fascinated by the simplicity of its diction, portrayal of nature, and delicate expression of love and the agony of love. Meghdoot has also been translated into various languages of the world. On the other hand, Ritu Samhara is totally devoted to nature and its changing mood through different seasons.
There is no unanimity about the time in which Kalidasa lived. Scholars, however, commonly agree that Kalidasa was a contemporary of the Gupta ruler Chandragupta Vikramaditya (4th-5th century A.D.).
The legend goes that early in his life, Kalidasa was illiterate and a dullard. Some Pandits who had been defeated in discourse by a highly intelligent princess Vidyottma, got herself married to Kalidasa in a deceitful manner out of jealousy. When the reality came out, she felt very disturbed and annoyed. It is said that she strongly admonished Kalidasa for his ignorance. On getting admonished by his wife, Kalidasa was very much shocked and he now took a vow to become a learned man. So he left his home in this pursuit and returned only after he had become a man of profound learning.
