"Ashadhdya pratham diwase", the first day of Ashadh, the fourth month of the Indian lunar calendar, and forgetting Kalidasa's "Meghdoot", how is it even possible? The "megham", the cloud, may now not be exactly "ashlishta sanum", that is, brimful with the drizzle, what with the changing monsoon patterns of our environmentally challenged world. Yet the lyric memory of the "Meghdut" is forever.
Kalidasa's intense artistry, simply superb both content and style wise, is absolutely immortal. Not many may remember it now. Yet it is forever, even in the ChatGPT "answers ready even before questions" era!
I wish I could pose "prompts" such as "Provide an example of the subtle similarities between Kalidasa and Shakespeare" to Literature Ph.D. aspirants. In today's MCQ method of gauging/judging acumen, not many would know either Act IV of Kalidasa's " Vikrmowarshiya" or Act V, Scene I of Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
Believe me, both the masters, Kalidasa and Shakespeare, eons apart from each other, space or time wise, are so similar in the depiction of the loss of love that they prove the maxim, "geniuses think alike". Why, both use intensely lyrical floral imagery, too, to portray the feel.
Another such intense image that sears and yet soothes my soul around this time is the beautiful mini "palakhi" Aai used to craft for us. Simple, exact replica of the original, and beautifully designed/decorated, this palakhi of our childhood is indeed an intensely lyrical memory, forever alive. No wonder, says Oscar Wilde, " Memory is (dreamy) diary that all of us always carry with us".
Pratima@ Memories, precious selfies captured with the mind's eye!
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