Kalidasa
8 key ideas, each explained in our own words.
Meghaduta
- IDEA 1
An exile longs for his wife
Kalidasa's poem tells of a yaksha, a semi-divine being, exiled for a year by his master Kubera. Living alone in the Ramagiri hills, he is tormented by separation from his wife, who waits for him in the city of Alaka.
- IDEA 2
A cloud becomes a messenger
When the monsoon arrives, the yaksha sees a rain cloud and asks it to carry a message to his wife. The idea of speaking to a cloud shows how deep longing can make a lonely person turn to nature for comfort.
- IDEA 3
The poem maps India
The yaksha describes the route the cloud should take northwards, over mountains, rivers, forests and cities. The poem becomes a beautiful journey across the landscapes of ancient India. Readers travel with the cloud.
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