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Synopsis

The play is set in Ujjain, one of the great cities of India a thousand and five hundred years ago. Vasanthasena, a famous courtesan, seeks refuge from prince Sansthanaka’s snare in the house of Charudatta, once a wealthy man, now broken in fortune. In malice Sansthanaka, also known as Shakara, lures Vasanthasena into the spring garden where he leaves her for dead. Charudatta is accused of murder, but is saved from a death penalty by a fortunate turn of events. The play provides a vivid picture of the busy life in the great city, with its princes, courtiers, merchants, gamesters and the ordinary folk with their big and little schemes in which matters of state are interwoven with the lives of the people. The English language version presented here has a compact, two-act structure, but retains the essential content of the original play. As with many plays of the genre, 'Mrichhakatika' celebrated the triumph of good conduct in trying times. The playwright-king (Sudraka) was also critical of the politico-economic system introduced by the legendary Kautilya in the kingdom of Magadha. A brief reference to it is made in the play. The much loved courtroom scene in the play, taking up the entire last act, is often regarded as the prototype of the dramatic device. The political satire in the act is also clearly recognizable, as relevant today as it was in the reign of the play’s wicked king. It is now being recognized that the play can indeed be viewed as a farce, but with a strong political commentary, and a dash of romance thrown in for good entertainment. The play has been published by Vitasta Publishing as part of an anthology titled 'Four Classics', available on Flipkart and Amazon.

Duration

150   Minutes

No of characters

26

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