An Ecofeminist Evaluation of Kalidasa Abhijana Shakuntalam , Meghadutam and Ritusamharam
Keywords:
Upanishads, Sanskrit Literature, Sri Ram CharitManas, Paryavaran, Vedas, Cultural Substratum, Ecocriticism, Indian CultureAbstract
Since time immemorial ,poets, dramatist and writers have sung praises of Wild expanse, Forests, rivers, mountains, birds and the whole of majestic Nature. Pristine environment has been one of the major sources of inspiration. When Kalidasa wrote Abhijana Shakuntalam, he placed the lovely heroine of the play in the lap of mother nature. Shakuntala is an integral part of the Flora and Fauna. To betrue, Dushyant just did not fall in love with lovely lady alone, he is enchanted by the whole idea of an innocent, natural beauty in the forest. If we place Shakuntala in concrete setting detached from the beauty of nature, she would not be that appealing. Shakuntala can only be conceived in our mental eye or aesthethic sense with flowers adorned on her body, and with deer and birds surrounding her. She is as innocent, as pure and as natural as the other creatures of the forest. She does not put on gold or diamond jewels. Flowers of different colours are her earrings, bangles and necklaces. This is how Kalidasaa has used Nature in his works. Nature is instrumental in the development of the story.
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