The World of Courtesans c9.13

c9.13

In the third canto Kalidasa sings the glories of the Indian autumn. The *kusha* grass, the lotuses in bloom, the cackling geese, and the ripening paddy impart a unique charm to this season. The forest carried the fragrance of jasmine flowers and the rivers teemed with fish. The white and silvery autumnal sky is radiantly lit on a full-moon night, the trees are laden with flowers and moved by a gentle breeze and the dancing peacocks attract everybody's attention. The women decorate their tresses with sweet-smelling jasmine and blue lotuses. Their breasts are smeared with sandal paste, and they wear tinkling anklets and chaplets.