Shakuntala: a story in present day

Shakuntala

A story in present day.

Vrushin Goswami M.Des 201214005

Shakuntala: A story in present day.

(Introduction to the story: It is set in the present day and the characters in the story are modern people. The story of Shakuntala has been re-told, so no one version of it is authoritative. The story here is also re-told but with Shakuntala in current time.)

Her parents not having a child of her own adopted a little girl. Her sweet nectar like voice sounded like that of a bird’s chirp, it was from here that they named her Shakuntala. Since her childhood she was fond of animals and had various pets of her own. Her father was a home schooled scholar and believed in home schooling his daughter too. While growing up she made friends with children in her neighbourhood and would play with them after completing her daily lessons. Her friends used to attend school in the daytime which is when she would study at home.

Seeing them go to school every day, she used to be curious about that mystical place called School. That is how curiosity was inculcated in her learning process.

She grew up to become a very beautiful girl and she possessed a charm and grace like that of a Lady. This was also possibly because of the way she dressed.

Her clothing was Kurtas with ethnic prints and traditional designs and a modern jeans underneath and ballerinas (mojri) for footwear. Such a dressing was probably also inspired from her friends around her. would talk about their colleges and life at college. This strengthened her curiosity to see for herself and explore how the realm of college was. She convinced her father to let her join a college and learn all the contemporary subjects. Being a scholar himself he realized her curiousness and thirst for learning, so he let her go.

The institution that she had decided to join was owned by the Royal family of the Puru dynasty. Being such a renowned institute, the educational environment was strict but the campus atmosphere was liberal. Incidentally the Prince of the Royal family himself happened to start his academic adventure there. When the students learnt about this, there was an air of mystery in the campus. They wondered, who is the prince? How does he look? How would we recognize him? And the answer to their questions wouldn’t remain un-answered for long. Soon they would find out who he was.

As college re-opened, old pals met and some before the classes would start sat in the cafeteria sharing dollops of gossip over some snacks and beverages, some chatting on the benches in the campus, a group of sincere students meeting and talking over the bulletin board. As students were still pouring in, there entered a bright red Chrysler. This red one could say was the patent of the Puru dynasty, and everyone could establish that there entered Royalty. A lot of ideas stated floating,

about the identity of who came in but no one knew for sure who the owner of the car could be.

The car parked in a secluded parking spot, like it belonged there and no one else could have thought of even parking it there. A young, tall and handsome man stepped out, and everyone could just make out that he was the Prince. He had a very self-confident gait and he could put all the ladies under his charm. This young man was the Prince, prince Dushyant. Being a prince he had high notions about himself and was aware how attractive he was, in a very less time he became famous among the women of the entire institute. With a deep voice that could soothe the soul, he asked in the office for the directions to his class. As he entered the class his eyes crossed with Shakuntala’s and they both felt something.

Shakuntala felt something which she had never experienced before, and since she had never experienced it, the feeling could not be named. Although she knew this that it was strong. She could not help but stay lost in his thoughts and was desperate to talk to him. Both saw each other and there was a connection, there was attraction between them, yet they could not talk to each other. They saw each other every day, admired each other in their hearts but could not gather the courage to talk to each other. This made them fond of each other and developed a want to see each other every day.

The semester proceeded and as a part of the curriculum the entire class was supposed to travel on an excursion to an Hermitage (Ashram) in the nearby forest.

Here they were supposed to stay for four days and learn the simple ways of life and inculcate values from olden times. This Ashram was one of the remaining Gurukuls of early India and so as a site of heritage it was well preserved and run by a very powerful sage named Durvasa. Durvasa as a person was short tempered and he was angry with the rapid modernization occurring in the country. He was angry about it because he felt that modernization is making the citizens lose their touch with their roots.

On the way to the excursion (un)fortunately Shakuntala and Dushyant happened to sit next to each other in the bus, and they were forced to break the ice between them. The moment they heard each other’s voices, electricity ran in their bodies and their feelings showed in their eyes. What happened here was more than just breaking of the ice, they connected at another level and there was no going back. For her, this was mysterious and new, hence, she felt very strongly for him.

Although Dushyant did too feel something for her, his mind wandered easily. At the Ashram they spent most of their time with each other when awake, and were interested in knowing each other every waking hour.

One fine morning they decided to elope for they could not fight what they felt, anymore. They ran into the forest and set up a camp of their own. Durvasa became aware of their activity and this enraged him. Knowing the entire map of the forest

furious Durvasa found out the camp. He went there and cursed Shakuntala saying Dushyant would forget what they shared and his feelings for her. Shakuntala begged of him to understand that she belonged to a scholastic family herself and that this was the first time she went through such an experience. She re-enforced how important Dushyant had become for her and pleaded the angry sage to take back his curse. Moved by her plea and her simplicity, Durvasa modified his curse as he could not take it back (a Brahmin’s words must come true). He said Dushyant will forget her and his feelings for her but when he would see a sign of his love for her; he will remember everything and realize his feelings for her, stronger than ever.

Since the curse, Dushyant left that site unable to recognize who the girl was with the sage and perplexed as to what he was doing there. Shakuntala felt hurt, she was devastated and didn’t know what to do. Too many thoughts ran through her mind, she even though how she had disappointed her father who gave her freedom.

She stopped going to college out of the guilt that she felt. Her father understood something was wrong but he didn’t know the gravity of the situation yet. A few weeks later they found out that she was bearing a child. Disappointed by her act, her father at first wanted to disown her, but later after giving it a rational thought he decided to get her married to Dushyant for he was equally responsible for her condition.

He took her to the Royal family to talk with them about the entire situation.

They reached there and met with Dushyant and his parents and discussed the entire situation from the beginning. But Dushyant still under the sage’s curse denied knowing her or his feelings and promises to her. The King (Dushyant’s father) asked his security to escort both of them out of the palace (haveli). Feeling rejected both of them returned home. Shakuntala decided to run away from home and spend her life in Durvasa’s hermitage (ashram), where she would give birth to her child. Durvasa accepted her into his Ashram. He put forth one condition. He said she can stay and raise her child but she should become a stronger person for the child that she will bring into this world should be strong from the womb of the mother.

She learnt from the sage every day, she did simple chores in and around the hermitage, like collecting flowers, making garlands and wreaths, performing daily prayers, etc. Later she gave birth to a male child and the sage named him Bharat, after the name of the great ruler Bharata of India. Bharat was a strong, energetic boy and helped out his mother in all her chores. He would run around and help out in the Ashram also. He had made friends with the animals in the forest around the ashram and was not afraid to explore the forest.

One fine day the ashram ran out of some important supplies and someone had to be sent to the city to replenish the items. Shakuntala decides that she along with Bharat will go to the city and purchase the required items. Little does she know about the encounter she would face in the city. Although somewhere at the back of her mind she was a little hopeful that she would run into Dushyant and that she would get to see his glimpse.

After she goes to the shops and collects all the required items, Bharat started feeling hungry. She took him to a restaurant, which by the way was a whole new experience for him. Used to eating simple food at the ashram, little Bharat did not know the taste of a new cuisine. He enjoyed the feast to his full. After lunch they set foot to see the city as it was Bharat’s first visit there. Fascinated by the crowded city, Bharat ran here and there and got lost in the crowd. Shakuntala worried and crying out his name wandered in the city. Assuming she was his mother, Bharat ran into a woman, and on learning that she wasn’t the person he had expected to be, he became sad and started crying. A man standing next to the woman saw a glimpse of himself in that boy. This man was none other than crown prince Dushyant. He stooped down to pick the boy up but the boy being strong was heavy to lift, so he crouched down and started talking to the boy. As soon as he saw the boy closely the curse was broken. And he remembered everything only after a few years had passed away.

Curious to see Shakuntala, he lifted Bharat up and intensely started searching for her, leaving the woman behind. Both ran into each other and he didn’t have to say anything. Shakuntala realized that the curse was broken. She was overwhelmed and wanted to hold Dushyant in her arms. Just when she was about to do so, the same woman came running from behind. Dushyant introduced both of them; the woman was the Princess of another ally Royal family. Dushyant was married to her.

Poor Shakuntala could not utter a single word. Keeping mum, she took Bharat from Dushyant’s hands turned back and returned back to the ashram. After being through so much in her life, and learning a lot of values from the Ashram, Shakuntala had no regrets as she left. This time she left Dushyant feeling what she felt, when he was gone.

IDEA:

As I have mentioned earlier in my Introduction, the story of Shakuntala and Dushyant has been told and re-told over the years. In the process some of the details would have been omitted or misinterpreted or misplaced in time. Therefore, there is no version of the story said to be authoritative.

I have tried to narrate the same story but in the present time. I have kept the key points and incidents in the story as they are with some changes relatable to the present time. The idea was to re-tell the story but as a designer how I could be creative enough to narrate the story.