Oxford Sanskrit Play: How Urvashi Was Won

How Urvashi Was Won, a well-known Sanskrit play, will be staged in Sanskrit with English subtitles and preceded by an introductory talk on the linguistic and literary contexts of the play.

How Urvashi Was Won relates the story of King Pururavas and his love for an immortal, the dancer Urvashi, who normally lives in the heaven of the gods but who has come down to earth in order to realize her passion for the all-too-mortal king.

The tragic love of this asymmetrical couple was described already in the ancient 'Rig Veda' and later often expanded. The fifth-century Kalidasa, universally acknowledged as the supreme poet, has reworked the narrative and turned the well-known story into a masterpiece of lyricism, subtle characterization, and the working through of a bold theme.

The Second Oxford Sanskrit Play is generously funded by The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, in collaboration with The Queen's College and the Faculty of Oriental Studies. 

Free admission to all but registration encouraged.