A Comparison of the Kalidasa and Braj Version of Śakuntalā

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Śakuntalā has oftentimes been adapted and translated in order to conform with the demands of the people. Prevailing genres and cultural aspects were added to the play each time, allowing for the insertion of contemporary dynamics or themes. Contrasting individuals, both affluent and poor, would modify plot points, as well as characters themselves, providing historians with unique manifestations of the same play. The Braj version (1716) of the play Śakuntalā preserved the longevity of the text, while also providing a modern twist to Kalidasa’s version (300-400 CE). Nawāz Kaveṡvara retold the drama in the vernacular, as a mixture between the Mahabharata version and the Kalidasa version, and in a manner that incorporated the prevailing style of the local poetry. Individuals such as Kaveṡvara would prevent Śakuntalā from fading away into the distant past, by once again making it a part of the present.
In 1716, a nobleman, after returning from a successful campaign, asked a well-known poet of the period named Nawāz Kaveṡvara to translate Śakuntalā into “Braj-ki-boli.” This was the language of the common people, allowing everyone to read this classic play for themselves. Originally only the wealthy, such as the members of the Mughal Court, were able to enjoy such old writings like Śakuntalā (Thapar 90). It was now that the play could truly grow in popularity as it could not be picked up and read by most people. The character, Śakuntalā, daughter of Vishvamitra and Menka, would be engraved into the minds of the people. This would allow a variety of individuals with different points of view to analyze the Śakuntalā. Some would side with her independent nature, while others would see her simply as a woman that was standing...

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... (Thapar 190-1). Sakuntala was destined to have a happy ending with the King no matter the hardships they faced. The atmosphere around the play was representative of what was to happen in the play.
All in all, the Braj version of the play Śakuntalā preserved the longevity of the text, while also providing a modern twist to Kalidasa’s version. This new version took concepts from the past and present to create something that all of society could enjoy. Nawāz Kaveṡvara retold the drama in the vernacular, as a mixture between the Mahabharata version and the Kalidasa version, and in a manner that incorporated the prevailing style of the local poetry. Śakuntalā’s ability to change with the times would ensure that it would always have a place in current society.

Works Cited

Thapar, Romila. Śakuntalā: Texts, Readings, Histories. London: Anthem Press, 2002. Print.

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