Welcome To Holy City Ujjain - Kalidasa Academi

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Mahakavi Kalidasa is known to be the greatest repository of our national heritage. The serenity of his artistic accomplishment has earned for him a high place in the galaxy of world poets. Kalidasa's imagination holds in perfect fusion the two elements of natural beauty and human feelings. He has continued to display his relevance through the centuries. Surcharges with wider human sympathy and universal appeal his character has remained truly Indian. Thus, Kalidasa continues to shine throughout the world as one of the greatest exponent of Indian culture.
In keeping view of his memory at Ujjain, the department of culture of the government of Madhya Pradesh established the ‘Kalidasa Academy’ .

In the year 1978. The basic idea of establishing Kalidasa Akademi in Ujjain is in twofold. One is to keep the memory of the great poet-dramatist Kalidasa constantly refreshed. The other is to establish a multi-disciplinary institution which would project the totality of classical tradition with Kalidasa as its center; provide facilities for research and study in Sanskrit classical and traditional performing arts and their adaptation for contemporary stage in different cultural and linguistic millions. The Kalidasa Akademi is designed to recapture the contribution of entire sanskrit classical tradition, theatre and fine arts and to represent its unique aesthetic vision to the international community.

OBJECTIVES

The Akademi is established to undertake its activities in accordance with the following objectives :

1. Study and exploration of Kalidasa's literature not only purely from the literary and academic point of view but also from the interdisciplinary angles in term of its total impact on the various forms;

2. Translation, preparation, publication and documentation of Kalidasa's and other sanskrit works in various oriental as well as other world languages with particular accent on preparing stage versions of sanskrit plays in Hindi and other Indian languages;

3. Establishment of a model sanskrit theatre (Natyamandap) as per norms of Bharata's Natya Shastra with a view to attempt authentic reconstruction of the ancient style and facilitate regular production of Kalidasa's and other Sanskrit plays by eminent classical theatre personalities from all over the country as well as abroad.

4. Collection and analysis of all available material relating to sanskrit theatre and those forms which are living remnants of the classical style;

5. Establishment of a museum of sanskrit theatrical arts and library of traditional music and theatre and dance costumes etc. and their documentation through tapes, films and other media including production of books of sanskrit plays etc.;

6. Facilities for imparting training in classical theatre and for under taking research in related areas.

SETTING & LAYOUT

The Akademi is situated in its own campus with a beautiful natural pond. The total area of land is 3374 hectares. The Akademi has got its own buildings within the premises in the year 1983. The well known architect Smt. Hema Sankalia has designed it with a rare insight and imagination.
In the year 1995, the new building has also been constructed and handed over to the Akademi. The Akademi building combines the serenity of an ‘Ashrama’ with the functional utility of a modern edifice, a brick and sloping roof affair.

1. Office, Library, Lecture and Seminar Hall, Exhibition Hall; other Administrative building and Hostel .

2. A modest Sanskrit theatre Natya Griha as per norms of Bharata’s Natya Shastra with a seating capacity of 200 to 300 audiences and related facilities.

3. An open air theatre for large number of audience.

4. Exhibition hall with facilities for both permanent and periodical display of classical exhibits.

5. Guest house for scholars and other visitors with a kitchen and other related facilities.

6. Acharyakula.

The physical environment of this building has been meticulously planed with a view to recreate a particular kind of atmosphere. The trees such as Ashoka, Amra, Kadamba, Bakula, Panasa and other such varieties which are found in Kalidasa's literature have been planted with a view to keep Ashram tradition.

The Akademi established in the year 1978 and mode its humble beginning in the year 1979. A list of directors, who rendered their valuable services to the Akademi is given below :

1. Prof. Adyarangacharya. (1979-1980)

2. Dr. Kamalesh Dutta Tripathi (1981-1986)

3. Prof. Shriniwas Rath. (1986-1995)

4. Dr. Prabhat Kumar Bhattacharya. (1995-1997)

5. Shri Vinod Semaval (Collector of Ujjain & In-charge Director) (1997-1998)

6. Shri C.P. Arora (Collector of Ujjain & In-charge Director) (1998-1998)

7. Dr. Krishnakant Chaturvedi; (1999- 2003 )

8 Dr. Kamlesh Datta Tripathi; (2003 - 2007 )

9 Dr. Mithila Prasad Tripathi; (2007 - Continue )

ACTIVITIES

The Akademi runs smoothly and makes it's progress on basis of activities. The details are given below: Kalidas - the supreme poet of the senses of aesthetic beauty , of sensuous emotion .Kalidas has taken every creative element , all great poetical forms , and subdued them to the harmony of artistic perfection set in the key of sensuous beauty .
Our aim in the academy is to reinforce these elements in all forms of art with the backdrop of Kalidasian aesthetics . A strong visualizing faculty such as the great poets have in their most inspired descriptive moments is the creation beyond time and space giving an universal perspective to the creator and creation .
Kalidas besides a consummate artist , profound in conception , a master of sound and language who has molded for himself , out of infinite possibilities of the sanskrit tongue a verse and diction which are absolutely the grandest .
Our aim is to bring out the same motivation pattern in all form of performing and non performing art thereby having more projects , publication seminar and activities which can make Kalidasa creative work a simple dynamics of creative interaction and manifestation of aesthetics in humanity .

Projects

Kalidasa Akademi has under taken various projects of study and research as well as preservation and rediscovery of our shastriya and creative traditions. The projects are given below -

(A) Critical Edition and Translation of Natya Shastra

This project aims at preparing critical edition and Hindi and English translation of Natya Shastra. The editing and translation work of Natya Shastra is going on. This project is getting the financial support from the Ford Foundation, U.S.A. .

(B) AcharyaKula

Akademi has started this project in order to preserve and propagate our traditional lore. Acharyakula offers an opportunity of studying a few selected shastriya texts on traditional lines with the help of most eminent sanskrit scholars of the respective disciplines. In order to achieve this goal. Recently, the Akademi conducted a Vyakhaya-Patha-Satra on Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari for a period of 21 days. In this Patha Shatra, University/College lecturers, Readers, Professors joined as student for getting knowledge from the eminent traditional sanskrit Gurus namely Dr. B.L. Awasthi, Adhisthata of Acharyakula, Dr. Adyaprasad Mishra, Vice-chancellor of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidhyalaya of Jabalpur and Pandit Ramayatna Shukla of Varanasi.

(C) Maokhika Parampara (Oral Tradition)

A survey of living oral traditions of Vedic, Puranic and Kavya recitations will be carried out so on and a full documentation of them would be done. Likewise oral folk traditions will also be surveyed and documented under the project for preserving oral traditions.

(D) Pandulipi Sangrahalaya (Manuscript Collection)

This year, the Akademi under takes this project and a survey is being made in order to identify such old manuscripts of Sanskrit literature. As a result, the Akademi got responses from the scholars and collected more their 113 manuscripts from the respective scholars.

Library

The Akademi has set up its library from the very beginning in order to provide basic in formation to researchers related to Kalidasa and it's literature.
Now the library is in the growing stage and to be developed in near future. However, it is an unique library devoted to Kalidasa and its literature.

Publication

The Akademi has published a number of books related to Kalidasa's works.

1. Vadatrayi - Dr. B.L. Awasthi.

2. Panineeya Shikshya - "

3. Shivmahimna Stotra with Harisiddhi Commentary - "

4. Ritusanhara with Harasiddhi Commentary - Prof. B.L. Shukla

5. Kalidasa Ka Vagartha - Dr. B.L. Rajpurohit

6. Kalidasa - "

7. Meghaduta (Bundle Translation) - Pt. Gunasagar Satyarthi

8. Meghasandesh - Dr. R.V. Tripathi

9. Halkaro Badal - Dr. B.L. Rajpurohit

10. Kumarsambhava (Hindi Translation) - Dr. Jagadish Sharma

11. Meghaduta (Hindi Translation) - "

12. Ritusamhar (Hindi Translation) - "

13. Kalidasa Sandarbha Kosha (in Hindi) - "

14. Kalidasa Bibliography (in English) - "

15. Kalidasa Ne Kaha Tha - "

16. Malvi Lok Geet (with Hindi translation) - Shri Bhavasar ‘Ba’ and Dr. B.L. Rajpurohit

Seminars and Lectures

The Akademi has a vision to explore the possibility of knowledge by conducting seminars & lectures related to Kalidasa literature, Natyashastra it's contemporary need to the Indian classical theatre and other subject to be linked with classical sanskrit literature.

Accordingly, the Akademi conducted seminars, lectures and workshop in collaboration with other organisation during the current year.

FUTURE PLANS

The Akademi is now in progress and planning to fulfil it's objectives in all aspects. The following decisions have been taken up by the Akademi for it's posterity.

* Akademi has taken up the editing & translation work of Kalidasa Granthavali.

* Publication of Natyashastra according to the commentary of Abhinavagupta.

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