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Vasantasena (Fifth century BC) was a courtesan of
Different works in the domain of arts and media have been produced at different points of time in history because the legend has been popular since times immemorial. Recognisable works have been listed down as follows:
* Sculpture from Kushana period: A mottled red sandstone sculpture belonging to the 2nd century A.D., which depicts a Scene of a Courtesan's House. It is kept in the National Museum, Delhi.
* Oleograph by Raja Ravi Varma: The 19th-century Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma produced an
Vasantasena (Fifth century BC) was a courtesan of Ujjayini
Ujjain (, Hindustani pronunciation: d͡ːʒɛːn is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative centre of Ujjain district and Ujj ...
according to ancient Indian literature, who earned fame and prosperity due to her finesse in various art forms such as singing, dancing, poetry, and courting as well as for her beauty. She is the lady protagonist of the Sanskrit play Mṛichchhakatika (The Little Clay Cart) written by Śūdraka
Shudraka ( IAST: ) was an Indian playwright, to whom three Sanskrit plays are attributed: '' Mrichchhakatika'' (''The Little Clay Cart''), ''Vinavasavadatta'', and a ''bhana'' (short one-act monologue), ''Padmaprabhritaka''.Bhattacharji, Sukumari ...
.
Character in the Play
In the play, Vasantasena is depicted as a strong character. She is not a conventional heroine waiting for a hero to come woo her. According to the play, Vasantasena falls in love with Chārudatta, a young Brahmin who loses all his wealth due to his philanthropic and altruistic nature and is seriously impoverished. The wealthy courtesan lives a life of utmost luxury but falls in love with Chārudatta for his extremely noble nature. Despite being happily married and having a son, Chārudatta also falls in love with Vasantasena for her beauty, her refined personality, and her noble nature. In the play, she is shown to be very bold and courageous in expressing her love for Chārudatta, approaching him. The strength of her character is shown in full fervour when she goes to visit his house despite a raging storm, resembling an Abhisarika nayika. It is her, and not Chārudatta, who plays the dominant role in their love affair. Thus, she stands out as an unconventional figure of agency and strength in ancient Indian literature and medieval legend.Art and Media
Different works in the domain of arts and media have been produced at different points of time in history because the legend has been popular since times immemorial. Recognisable works have been listed down as follows:
* Sculpture from Kushana period: A mottled red sandstone sculpture belonging to the 2nd century A.D., which depicts a Scene of a Courtesan's House. It is kept in the National Museum, Delhi.
* Oleograph by Raja Ravi Varma: The 19th-century Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma produced an oleograph
Chromolithography is a method for making multi-colour prints. This type of colour printing stemmed from the process of lithography, and includes all types of lithography that are printed in colour. When chromolithography is used to reproduce p ...
depicting Vasantasena.
* Movies:
*** Vasantsena, a movie by Dadasaheb Phalke
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ̪ʱuɳɖiɾaːd͡ʒ pʰaːɭke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke () (30 April 1870 – 16 February 1944), was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter, known as "the Father of In ...
made in 1929
*** ''Vasantha Sena'', a Kannada movie by Ramayyar Shirur made in 1941
*** ''Vasantha Sena'', a Bollywood movie by Gajanan Jagirdar
Gajanan Jagirdar (2 April 1907 – 13 August 1988) was a veteran Indian film director, screenwriter and actor. He worked in Hindi Cinema, also called Bollywood, as well as Marathi cinema. The period of 1942 to 1947, saw his rise as a film direct ...
in 1942
*** ''Vasantha Sena'', a Tollywood movie by B. S. Ranga
Bindiganavile Srinivas Iyengar Ranga (11 November 1917 – 12 December 2010) was an Indian photographer, actor, producer and director who has made many landmark movies in Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil. He was also the owner of Vikram Studios. He ...
in 1967
Utsav
''Utsav'' (Hindi: उत्सव; English: Festival) is a 1984 Hindi erotic drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based on play '' Mrichakatika'' ('' The Little Clay Cart'') by Śūdraka.
The film s ...
is a 1984 Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
, produced by Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor (pronounced əʃi kəpuːɾ (born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his work in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four Nation ...
and directed by Girish Karnad
Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian actor, film director, Kannada writer, playwright and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in South Indian cinema and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in the 1960s marked the ...
and is based on this play.{{cite tweet, number=1192764152235708418, user=NFAIOfficial, title=A lobby card for Girish Karnad’s #Utsav (1984), featuring #FaceOfTheWeek #ShankarNag. The film was based on popular… , date=8 November 2019
References