Ancient Indian Classical Literature

Course Introduction:

Somebody recently said that Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India...! Oh this is an injustice to the great poet Kalidas. Kalidasa's talent and poetic creation cannot be compared with Shakespeare. Shakespeare's literature is painful and portrays only negative aspect of life. Attempts to expose only the dark side of life appear in Shakespeare's literature. Kalidas is a great playwright who gives the feeling of truth, justice, ideals and divine bliss. We know Shakespeare but we do not know Kalidas, Bhasa, Bhavabhuti, Harsha, Ashvaghosha, Dandi, Shudraka; this is a very unfortunate thing. Unprecedented work has been done in ancient India for the creation of classical literature. The epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata have been produced here. Apart from Vedic Shruti literature such as Veda Upanishads, we have a glorious heritage of various literatures in abundance. There are poetic compositions in it, prose, stories, Champukavya etc. Not only this, there is a vast literature available on many subjects like grammar, yoga, science, technology, spirituality, architecture, mantra, Ayurveda, warfare, politics, economics etc. Hitopadesh, Katha Kalpataru is the literature that gives direct knowledge of life through stories. There is literature available to touch every aspect of life, from children to aged persons. It is very important for every Indian to have knowledge of ancient Indian classical literature and to be proud of it.