KALIDASA'S WORK ON SIX BEST SEASONS OF INDIA

Kālidāsa = कालिदास: was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest playwright and poet. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas. His works consist of three plays, two epic poems and two shorter poems. Among those two short or minor poems Rtusamharam deals with seasons.  Ṛtusaṃhāra means, often written Ritusamhara = ऋतुसंहार:, ऋतु + ṛtu, "season", संहार = saṃhāra, "compilation". The poem has six cantos for the six Indian seasons - Grīṣma (Summer), Varṣā

 (Rainy), Śarat (Autumn), Hemanta (Winter), Śiśira (Cold), and Vasanta 

(Spring). It is considered to be Kalidasa's earliest work.

1.    GRĪṢMA (SUMMER) : Being  severely scorched by the rays of the Sun and parched in the way by the hot dust, a serpent looking down, moving and hissing often, is lying under the shade of peacock.  

2.    VARṢĀ (RAINY): The forest region, whose heat has been allayed by the showers of the fresh water, is as if rejoicing along with the KADAMBA trees pitting forth abundant blossoms all around.  It appears as if dancing with the trees whose branches are wafted by the wind and it appears as if laughing through the buds of KETAKIS (Thaazham Poo).

3.    ŚARAT (AUTUMN): In the Autumn, the breezes blow cool, owing to the contact with lotus flowers; the directions are beautiful since the masses of clouds have disappeared; the water has lost its turbidity; the earth has the mud dried up; the space has the clear-rayed moon and is wonderful with the stars.  

4.    HEMANTA (WINTER): The numerous fields, full of rich rice-crops, decked with the flocks of female deer and noisy with graceful KRAUNCHA (ANDRIL) birds, excite the mind.

5.     ŚIŚIRA (COOL): In the morning of these days in the Sisira, women are like Goddess of Wealth (Sri Lakshmi Devi) in their house, with their lovely round faces like golden lotus flowers, with their beautiful red lower lips, with their eyes which are reddish in corners, extending up to the sides of the ears, with their locks of hair resting on their shoulders.

6.      VASANTA (SPRING): Oh! My darling! everything, is more beautiful in Spring; the trees put forth the flowers, waters have lotus flowers, ladies are gladdened, the breeze blows fragrant, the evenings are pleasant and the days are delightful.