Valentine's Day

The Caurapañcāśikā is a series of lyric verses in which the parted lover evokes his mistress’s presence by recollecting her beauty and the pleasures of their love. Each verse is a quatrain in the Sanskrit meter Vasantatilaka (Spring’s ornament), beginning with the phrase adyapi (even now), and voiced in the first person. [X]

My niece - ever hopeful about my love life - queried me on a special someone today.  I joked that I was more at an age for hot flushes than hot crushes:) Which is not entirely true, as a former boyfriend told me the spark of love should be present in one even at 80 provided one gets there. And it is Valentine's Day. Though if there is to be a “Valentine’s Day” in India, it is probably Holi since it is also sometimes known as Madana Mahotsava i.e. Festival of the Love God (Madan/Kamadeva).  Still any excuse is good enough to put up Sanskrit love poetry - of which god knows there is plenty and more.

Probably the most translated of love texts is Bilhana’s Caurapañcāśikā which recreates both the pleasure of union and that of separation, both of which are subjects of Sanskrit poetry. It's just a perfect little thing. And luckily there are heaps of translations around (X, X), this extract from Stoler-Miller’s book.