River-imagery in Meghadūta of Kālidāsa

One of the traits of Kälidāsa's poetic art is his irresistible fascination with nature. Riverine attributes flow into his depiction of word pictures whose variety and richness is conspicuous by their refreshing presence. It is in Meghadūta that Kälidäsa's poetic language attains greater degree of concentration. The sorrowful love- lorn reminiscences of a separated lover constitute the atmosphere of the poem and therefore his river imagery in the poem seeks to depict the intensity of myriad emotions. The sorrow of separation, yearning desire and expectancy of re- union, .... a world of such sentiments is portrayed making use of his varied imagery in which rivers appear with their thousand momentary moods.The present article seeks to bring out the specific features of Kālidāsa's river images depicted in Meghaduta.