There seem to have been a a lot of drinking ladies in Ancient India. There are apparently plenty of sculptures of drinking women. And plenty of verses going on a fair bit about wine being a major beauty enhancer, in Kalidasa's plays for e.g. and especially in the Sattasai. (no face in the gutter modern women in the old texts!).
The above extract is from Malavikagnimitram. Iravati is kind of famous for making a dramatic entry in an inebriated state in this play. Though who can blame Iravati, the second wife? There is already a senior queen, Dharini. And there is pretty Malavika who the king is courting and who is so going to be the king's favourite. And there is poor Iravati with only a maid to extoll her flushed with wine beauty. And a few passages where she berates the useless Agnimitra. Who likens her to a crocodile while Malavika is a lotus flower. Pity Iravati didn't employ the crocodile teeth!
So what is a woman to do? All my sympathies lie with Iravati. I say ditch the King, get an ancient vibrator and embrace the bottle, it is far more constant!
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I do agree, after drinking wine, women start looking more beautiful ! May be that is why men drink.
ReplyDeleteI think Kalidas meant that women who drink wine look more beautiful:) Nothing on men drinking in there!
ReplyDeleteAnu, no arguments with kalidasa ... just a passing thought; when a woman drinks she starts looking beautiful and when a man drinks, to him, the whole world starts looking beautiful !
ReplyDelete:-)
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