An acclaimed Sanskritist makes the great Sanskrit plays accessible for general readers for the first time Flirtatious kings, powerful, controlling wives, lovelorn young women who give their hearts away unwisely, disguises and mistaken identities that cause all kinds of trouble ? these are the ingredients of the great Sanskrit plays. Urbane, cynical, witty and enjoyable, the plays written by Kalidasa, Vishakhadatta, Mahendravarman, Harsha and Shudraka, among others, give us a vivid glimpse of city life in the classical period. Beautifully adapted into stories by the acclaimed Sanskritist and translator Arshia Sattar, this is a book full of charm and deep delight.