Kalidasa

An Indian poet and playwright who lived around the 4th century CE, according to most sources, although some scholars place his existence around the 1st century BCE; therefore, there is a wide range of possible dates for his life.

Very little is known about his biography; drawing information from the author's own work, scholars place his life in some regions of northern India, probably Ujjain or Kashmir, due to the flora and fauna described in his poems and other clues. The sage is mentioned as one of the "nine precious stones" of the court of the legendary Indian king "Vikramaditia."

Regarding his work, although this publication is not specialized in Hindu literature, its importance can be appreciated firstly due to the veneration the sage enjoys in his own country, and secondly after reading and studying his work, which includes some very important poems, as well as some plays and epic texts. Among his poems, we highlight "The Cloud Messenger" (a poetic work that describes, within a truly imaginative and unique framework, the beauty of Indian geography), as well as a description of the seasons through the experiences of two lovers. From his epic poetry, we highlight "The Birth of the God of War."

To understand the stature of Kalidasa, it is worth mentioning that British scholars have called him "the Shakespeare of India."

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