India has always believed in the harmonious relation between man and
forces of nature and the importance of each season has been beautifully
brought into light by the great poet Kalidasa in Ritu Samhaara, a poem
written by him. It can be called the "Medley of Seasons" or "Garland
of Seasons". The Ritusamharam has been divided into six main
chapters, each chapter describing vividly, the seasons of India. The six
seasons that have been described by Kalidasa are Summer, Spring,
Monsoons, Autumn, Frost and Winters. This poem is much shorter when
compared with his other works. Ritusamharam Kalidasa is delightful read
and a short summary is given below.
Each of these seasons is described as a pair of lovers who experience
changes in their relation like the changing seasons of India. The poem
starts with the description of summer. The dry weather and the extreme
heat conditions make the lands extremely parched. Everyone yearns for a
few drops of rain to soak the soil. But even in this time of extreme
heat, one gets joy through mangoes and the cool moonlit nights. Then
come the much-awaited monsoons and the whole of India gets drenched and
clean in the fresh monsoon rains. Everything looks spic and span and not
a speck of dust is seen anywhere. The black clouds and the rumbling
thunder add to the magic of the monsoons.
Then comes the season of autumn where people look forward to celebrating
festivals and spread cheer and joy. Though the weather remains pleasant,
the afternoons can be hot and it is almost like a second summer.
However, the weather changes and one can feel the nip in the air. This
is when the frost season arrives. The sudden nip in the air, the chilly
winds in the morning and nights and the biting cold all signify the
season of frost. Then comes the more severe form of frost in the form of
winter season. The temperatures drop really low and people are seen
wearing layers of clothes. However, he severity of winters is not as
much as in Western countries. It only snows in the hilly regions and the
south of India hardly experiences any winters.
After winters, the weather starts to warm a bit and then comes spring
season. This season is popular for the harvest festivals that take place
and one can see blooming flowers all around. Thus, the variety of
seasons in India is used to signify the changes that take place in the
minds of lovers and how they change. Every change has some good and some
bad effects, but in totality it is a pleasant feeling.
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