📚A literary tour: 5 classics set in Ujjain

Ujjain is of course the undisputed capital of Sanskrit literature. As one of the oldest occupied city-states of ancient India, there is no shortage of books set in this Moksha Puri.

Here are our Top 5 picks that will transport you to the ancient capital, or perhaps even accompany you on a visit!

1 Meghaduta: Kalidasa's Meghaduta, composed in the 5th century CE narrates the story of a Yaksha or a nature spirit who is separated from his wife and implores a Megha (cloud) to deliver a message to his beloved in Alkapuri nestled in the ranges of Upper Himalayas. Composed during the high noon of Sanskrit literature, Kalidasa’s love for his hometown comes through when the protagonist asks the cloud to take a detour as the picturesque city of Ujjayini cannot be missed. The city has been described with the choicest of adjectives creating poignant imagery of the capital of the Malwa region.

2 Mrcchakatika: The story of the play follows a young nobleman named Charudatta and his romantic rendezvous with a wealthy courtesan Basantsena in the fabled city of Avanti The love affair becomes further complicated when Shangsthanak, an aristocrat and a next of kin of the king, also gets smitten with Basantsena. Laced with nail-biting court intrigue, mistaken identities & passionate chronicling, the plot keeps you at the edge of your seat with several twists and turns. Though the dominating themes happen to be romance & comedy it wonderfully depicts impoverishment, dissent against royal negligence, and the prevailing of truth - aspects that are still very pertinent.

3 Svapnavasavadattam: A sequel to equally remarkable Pratijna Augandharayana, the touchstone theme of Dharma Sankat or the conflict of Dharma runs deep in this epic, ever-surprising book. The romantic exploits of the princess of Avanti, Vasavadatta will take you on a spiral as Bhasha chronicles the psychological antagonism & dilemmas plaguing two of the greatest dynasties through palace intrigues, love affairs, and family lives, linking grand themes to the heart of the human drama. It features a cast of extraordinary diversity: in addition to rulers and conquerors, there are priests, charlatans, artists, tycoons, thieves, lovers, husbands, wives, and children.

4 Kalakacharya Katha: Forming the appendix of the Kalpasutra, the richly illustrated manuscripts of this Katha takes you through a roaring siege of Ujjain by the ninety-six Shahi princes of the Saka clan to rescue the abducted sister of the Jain monk Kalakacharya from the captivity of King Gardabhila. A brimming symposium of magical anecdotes & Jain philosophical maxims, the story provides the backdrop to the hugely popular story of Kalaka changing the date of the festival Paryusana. Be ready for an unputdownable scrolling of pages in order to catch sight of the closing fate of the evil king in being condemned to an endless cycle of miserable rebirths.

5 Skanda Purana: With over 81,000 verses, Skanda Purana is the largest among the major 18 Puranas & comprises several Khandas - one of them being the Avanti Khanda.
A poetic encyclopedia of ancient Ujjain, the section will immerse you in a whirlpool of tales- unearthing a load of glorious past effaced by time & memory. Every reader is bound to be drawn into the well of wonderment by this dharmic relic. The courtesans, the temples, the flora, the fauna, the people, and almost every season of the times seem to have enthused the composer. It's a journey of interest...