Marg for Meghadutam: A Route-Map for Cloud Messenger

 

Marg for Meghadutam:

A Route-Map for Cloud Messenger

In Kalidasa’s Meghadutam, the Yaksha beseeches: O Megh, go to Alaka, but

‘Listen first,

while I describe the way

fitting for your journey which you will follow

resting your foot on mountains when weary,

refreshed when wasted by the clear water of the streams..’

Why did the Yaksha suggest a spectacular and scenic but circuitous route for the Cloud Messenger? Clouds have been navigating the skies since times immemorial, and know their route like the back of their palm; so why do they need the yaksha’s guidance and a map?

Banished from Alakapuri to earth to suffer a year of separation from his wife, the yaksha had travelled a bit, been charmed by the beauteous earth, and was eager to share his joy with the cloud messenger, it seems.

From Ramgiri, head north, tells the yaksha. Why did Kuber dump the cursed yaksha at Ramgiri, identified with Ramtek which is 50 kms north-east of Nagpur?  Was he exiled there to suffer in a mountain as forlorn as Mount Kailash was fabulous. Of course, Ramgiri had been sanctified by Ram’s brief exile here, and the yaksha’s penance in this holy place might have earned him enough merit to return to Alaka to take up his lost position in Kuber’s court.

Instead of Ramgiri, had Kalidasa placed the yaksha at Kerala’s Anamudi (Elephant Head) mountain, the Everest of South India, at a height of 2695 mtrs; the yaksha would have described to the cloud messenger the beauty and majesty of Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari, and Mahanadi, too. Maybe, Kalidasa was not very familiar with the territory to the south of the Vindhyas.

Were the clouds to soar high up in the sky and speed north to Alaka like an arrow, how monotonous that would be. Kalidasa draws up a list of ‘must-visit places’ – the picturesque hills and mountains, the beautiful rivers, the fabulous cities, shrines, and hoary lands.

The mountains – the Vindhya ranges, the Mekhala (mekhala is an ornament – a waist girdle for women, and refers here to the Maikal mountains), Ramgiri (Ramtek), Chitrakuta, Amrakuta (Amarkantak), Nichai hills (the low hills near Vidisha), Kanakhala hills (near Rishikesh where Ganga descends to the plains), Gangotri, Krauncha Pass (the Himalayan Pass used by migratory birds), Mount Kailasa, and Alaka.

The rivers – Narmada, Vetravati (Betwa), Sindhu (Kali Sindh), Nirvindhya (Newaj), Shipra, Gandhavati, Gambhira, Charmanavati (Chambal), Yamuna, Sarasvati, Ganga; the Manasa-lake. Alas, Gandhavati and Sarasvati have vanished, and Mount Kailasa and Manasa-lake are now in Tibet!

The fabled cities – Dasarnas (area around modern Bhopal), Vidisha, Avanti (one of the three most powerful ancient kingdoms, the other two being Magadha and Vatsa), Ujjayini, Dasapura (Mandsaur), Brahmavarta (the Indo-Gangetic plains, home of the early Vedic people), Kurukshetra (the battleground of Mahabharata); Alaka (the seat of Kuber, Digpal or custodian of the North).

The shrines at Ujjayini -  Chandesvara or Mahakal, Bhavani; Skanda on Devagiri; Shiva on Mount Kailasa.

That is an amazingly vivid description of the physical geography, and the mythical, historical, and political map of central and north India and Tibet in Kalidasa’s times.

Kalidasa was one of the navaratnas (nine gems) in the court of Vikramaditya, most likely born in Ujjayini or deeply in love with the city where he worked, loved, and lived. His audience in the king’s court would be familiar with the rich references to places of significant importance in the Meghadutam.

Kalidasa may not have travelled to all the places mentioned in this poem, but he may have heard about those fascinating places from traders and travellers, or may have read about these wonderful places. He was deeply in love with Bharatavarsha, his motherland, and he pays a rich tribute to her fascinating treasures.

Meghadutam is among the finest Sanskrit kavyas, and an excellent travel-guide to explore and enjoy the amazing beauty of our country, ‘a brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth.’

~~~

Kalidasa’s vivid descriptions: a few samples

Narmada

You will see ‘Reva’s streams spreading dishevelled at Vindhya’s holy feet rugged, rock-strewn,’ and ‘peak after peak fragrant with wild jasmine.’

Vidisha

‘At that royal city, Vidisha by name widely renowned, you shall … (be) tasting Vetravati’s sweet waters as a lover his beloved’s lips.’

Ujjayini

The ‘way to Ujjayini is a detour no doubt; but do not therefore turn away from a visit to her palace-terraces..’,

‘Indeed, you would have lived in vain

if you do not dally there

with the tremulous eyes of the city’s beautiful women

that dart in alarm at the branched lightning’s flashes.’

You will be dazzled by Ujjayini ‘glowing in splendour like a brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth.’

Mahakal on the bank of Gandhavati

At Ujjayini, you will see the holy shrine of Chandesvara,

‘its garden stirred by Gandhavati’s breezes

scented with the pollen of blue-lotuses

and fragrances wafted from unguents

used by young women sporting in the waters.’

Himalayan Forest-fire

After you reach Gangotri,

‘If a forest-fire born of cedar branches

clashing in the blowing wind

should assail the mountain, and its fiery sparks

scorch the bushy tails of yaks,

pray quench it fully with a thousand sharp showers.

The riches of the great are best employed

to ease the miseries of the distressed.’

Way to Our Home

Once you reach Alaka, this is how you will spot our home:

‘There, to the north of the palaces

of the Lord of Treasures stands our home

recognizable from afar by its arched gateway

beautiful as the rainbow

close by grows a young Mandara tree

nurtured by my love like a son and now bending

with clusters of blossoms

within reach of her hand.’

Also note ‘the beautifully-drawn forms of lotus and conch on the sides of the door, you will know the mansion..’

My Beautiful Beloved

‘There you will see her, in the springtime of youth, slender,

her teeth jasmine-buds, her lips ripe bimba-fruit,

slim-waisted, with deep navel

and the tremulous eyes of a startled doe,

moving languidly from the weight of her hips,

her body bowed down a little by her breasts

-Ah! The Creator’s master-work among women,’

though she would appear ‘like a lotus-plant struck by the chilling hoar-frost,’ or ‘the miserable moon stricken pale when shadowed by you.’

Acknowledgement

All quotes are from:

Meghadutam, The Complete Works of Kalidasa, Volume One- Poems, Translated by Chandra Rajan, Sahitya Akademi, First Edition – 1997

***

 Comments

T.C.A. Raghavan

Dr T.C.A. Raghavan, Former Indian High Commissioner to Singapore and Pakistan; and author of Attendant Lords and The People Next Door grew up in Madhya Pradesh where his father served as a Civil Servant:

"Dear Prassana, Many thanks. Why dont you organize a short Kalidasa tour this winter- Ujjain, Vidisha, Mandsaur, Udaigiri?  Would love to participate. Raghavan"

Thanks, Dear Raghavan. I have requested Sheo Shekhar Shukla, PS, Tourism to curate a 'Kalidasa Scenic Tour', one during the rains, and the other in winter.

P.G. Mankad, an esteemed senior colleague

The first time I had read the summary of this incredible book- poem - literary gem,  ages ago, what did strike me even then the most was this amazing ‘ mapping ‘. No Survey of India Maps, no possibility of getting aerial views ( vihangam drashya, ) no gps of course, and yet, what a combination of accuracy, imagination, and descriptive prowess ! 

Trivia - my maternal grandfather’s  house in Rajkot, built I think in the early  Sixties (when he finally retired after first the service in Princely States and then in the IAS in Saurashtra and Undivided Bombay Province before Maharashtra and Gujarat were created ) was named Megh Doot. Finally sold off about four five years back as only a spinster cousin of mine remained as an occupant .

Kedar C. Rout, a colleague and a dear friend

Meghadutam is classified as Sandeshkavya (messenger poem). Kalidas's grasp of India's  geography (rivers, forests, flora and fauna.. that you also get in Ritusamharam) was simply astonishing. The point to be noted: when Europe was already sunk into the dark age (blame it on Christianity),  our poets were composing erotic and naturalistic poems... leave aside rich discourses on epistemology,  metaphysics and ethics.

Look at the elegance where he describes his beloved's ( she is unnamed... I wonder why?) both physique and feelings...!!

M.M. Upadhyay

जहां हर शब्द में कविता है,अगर उसे ग्रंथ को आपको खोजना है तो कालिदास को पढ़ना अनिवार्य होगा । कालिदास ने प्रकृति और श्रृंगार का इतना सुंदर वर्णन किया है कि आप हैरान हो जाएंगे कि कैसे कोई व्यक्ति अपने सीमित जीवन काल में आज से 2000 साल पहले की भौगोलिक स्थिति , भारतवर्ष के दर्शनीय स्थान को इतनी सुंदर और आकर्षक शैली  में वर्णन कर सकता है । कालिदास के साहित्य और नाटकों में जो स्थान का वर्णन है उनमें से कुछ स्थानों पर हमें और आपको रहने का सौभाग्य मिला है।

 निश्चित रूप से आज से 2000 वर्ष पूर्व  विक्रम आदित्य के समय में यह कितने दुर्गम वन रहे होंगे जो अपनी प्राकृतिक सुंदरता से परिपूर्ण थे।

 निश्चित रूप में किसी भी रसिक प्रवृत्ति के व्यक्ति में कविता या नाटक का उमड़ जाना स्वाभाविक है।

 कालिदास की यादें अपने पुन: जागृत कर दी।

आपको बधाई इस सुंदर ब्लॉग के लिए।

K.M. Acharya

K.M. Acharya, an esteemed senior colleague shared this gem - Baba Nagarjuna's address to Mahakavi Kalidasa:

मेघदूत [महाकवि कालिदास ] _________

रोया यक्ष कि तुम रोये थे ?

““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““

“वर्षा ऋतु की स्निग्ध भूमिका

प्रथमदिवस आषाढ-मास का

देख गगन में श्याम घनघटा

विधुर यक्ष का मन जब उचटा

खडे-खडे तब हाथ जोड़कर

चित्रकूट के सुभग शिखर पर

उस बेचारे ने भेजा था,

जिनके ही द्वारा संदेशा

उन पुष्करावर्त मेघों का

साथी बन कर उड़ने वाले

कालिदास ! सच सच बतलाना

पर-पीडा से पूर-पूर हो

थक-थक कर और चूर-चूर हो

अमल-धवल गिरि के शिखरों पर

प्रियवर ! तुम कब तक सोये थे ?

रोया यक्ष कि तुम रोये थे ?

कालिदास सच-सच बतलाना !

…….बाबा नागार्जुन

Professor Malashri Lal, Academician & Author

Hello Prasanna, in your essay, for the first time,   the physical and sacred geography of Meghadutam merges. A Kalidas / Meghdutam tour is a superb  idea from one of your readers. At least an illustrated talk on YouTube with maps  and photos can be done by you quite easily. Warm regards. Malashri

My reply

Thanks for your suggestion, Malashri. Read Meghadutam once again and marvelled at the poet's amazing knowledge of botany and zoology, too. Regards.