The Flute and the Lotus: Romantic Moments in Indian Poetry and Painting

This is a book about romantic moments, heart throbbing moments, soul-stirring moments and enchanted moments that have inspired poets, enlivened courts and enriched havelis and been celebrated by our artists, been patronised by the raja and indulged in by the praja. Sensual moments alive with passion and radiant with emotion are equally of amorous pleasure and heart-rending pathos. Such romantic moments are a very special part of the love between a man and a woman. The author traces the development of romantic poetry in the Indian tradition starting with ancient poetry in Prakrit from the fourth century court of Hala, through the Tamil Aham poetry, to Kalidasa's creations in classical Sanskrit, the 10th canto of the Bhagvata Purana, Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda, the poetry of Bihari, Keshavdas and Bhanu data of the ritikal period in the bhashas, Sufi romantic poetry and finally the poetry of the seasons and ragas.