Contents
Kalidasa
Writing Sanskrit poetry and plays including Shakuntala and Meghaduta.
Abhijnanashakuntalam · Meghaduta
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Ancient India; birthplace uncertain
- Died
- Unknown
More people
Kalidasa
Kalidasa was a Sanskrit poet and dramatist generally placed in the early centuries of the first millennium, often around the Gupta period.
Early life
Uncertain biography
No secure account establishes his family or education.
Literary evidence
Scholars infer aspects of his world from the landscapes and courtly settings in his writing.
Career
- Gupta-era context
Traditional placement
His career is commonly situated around the fourth or fifth century.
- Literary production
Poetry and drama
Composed works in several classical genres.
- Later centuries
Wider transmission
Commentaries and translations carried his work to new readers.
Selected writings
Abhijnanashakuntalam
A play about love, separation and recognition.
Meghaduta
A separated lover asks a cloud to carry a message.
Raghuvamsha
Recounts a royal dynasty.
Literary legacy
Dating
Exact dates for his life and works remain unresolved.
Reception
His plays became important to encounters between Sanskrit and European literature.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: William Douglas Almond. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
