WAS KALIDASA BORN IN KASHMIR ?

                                   

WAS  KALIDASA  BORN  IN  KASHMIR ?

Kalidasa is considered the Indian Shakespeare and the Prince of Indian Poets.. He is well known as the greatest poet of all time. For something like fifteen hundred years, Kalidasa has been more widely read in India than any other author who wrote in Sanskrit. There have also been many attempts to express in words the secret of his abiding power: such attempts can never be wholly successful, yet they are not without considerable interest. Kalidasa’s knowledge of nature is not only sympathetic, it is also minutely accurate. Not only are the snows or the windy music of the Himalayas and the mighty current of the sacred Ganges, his possessions are also smaller streams and trees and every littlest flower.  Kalidasa’s birth and death are notably not recorded in any of the books, but some hypothetical years of estimation are made. The birthplace of the great poet is also a mystery.

Lakshmi Dhar Kalla (1891-1953 ) a Sanskrit Scholar from Kashmir has written a book wherein he tries to trace the birthplace of  Kavi Kalidasa based on the critical study of his writings. He concludes that Kalidasa was born in Kashmir and moved to the South in his youth where he sought the patronage of local rulers. This is exactly what happened with the family of Sharangdeva (1210-1247 AD) , the author of the famous Sangeet Ratnakara who was a Kashmiri and moved to the South. The evidence cited by Kalla to conclude Kalidasa’s  Kashmiri ancestry includes:-

(a) Description of flora and fauna in the works of the great poet belongs to Kashmir and not Ujjain, Mithila or Odisha as is generally believed to be associated with the birth of the great poet.

(b) The mention of Saffron and saffron plants at some places in the works of the great poet links him to Kashmir.

(c) The mention of the Deodar tree in some places links his birthplace to the Himalayan region only.

(d) The mention of musk deer ( Kastoori in Kashmir ) at some places in the works of the great poet.

(e) His works reveal descriptions of geographical features like tarns and glades that are common to Kashmir.

(f) Reference to certain legends of Kashmiri origin, such as that of the Nikumbha (mentioned in the Kashmiri text Nilamata Purana) and mention (in Shakuntala) of the legend about Kashmir being created from a lake. 

(g) Shakuntala is an allegorical dramatization of Pratyabhijna philosophy (a branch of Kashmir Shaivism). Kalla further argues that this branch was not known outside of Kashmir at that time.

From my knowledge and study of some translations of the great poet, I am inclined to add this:-

(a) The major epic written by Kalidas is – Kumarasambhava . .Kumarasambhava contains many poems on the birth history of goddess Parvati implying Kalidasa’s  belief in Shaivism.

(b) He is praised by some great Kashmiri poets, scholars and writers including Mammata, Anandhvardhana and Abhinavgupta. His poetic style impacted subsequent  Sanskrit poets of Kashmir.

(c) He wrote a Khandakavya on Ritusamhara which describes six seasons.   Kashmir also has six seasons, each two months in duration. These can be summed up as:-

1. Spring - From March 15 to May 15.  Known as  Soant in Kashmiri 

2. Summer - From May 15 to July 15. Known as   Greeshim in Kashmiri 

3. Rainy Season - From July 15 to Sept. 15. Known as  Vaharaat in Kashmiri 

4. Autumn - From Sept. 15 to Nov. 15.  Known as  Harud in Kashmiri  

5. Winter - From Nov. 15 to Jan 15. Known as  Vandha  in Kashmiri 

6. Ice cold - From Jan. 15 to March 15. Known as  Shishur in Kashmiri 

There could be more reasons to link Kalidasa to Kashmir but the subject needs deeper research before arriving at any authentic conclusion.

( Avtar Mota )

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