ASHADH KA EK DIN

"Ashadh Ka Ek Din" is the debut Hindi play by Mohan Rakesh and is considered the first Modern Hindi play. The play received a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the best play in 1959. The three-act play is centred on Kalidas' life, sometime in the 100BCE-400CE period.

In the first act, Kalidas is leading a peaceful life in a Himalayan village and is romantically involved with his sweetheart, Mallika. However, he is approached to appear at King Chandragupta II's court in far-off Ujjayini. Torn between his current idyllic existence and love on one hand, and the desire to achieve greatness on the other, he leaves for Ujjayini in a conflicted state of mind. Mallika wants the best for the man she loves, so she encourages him to go to Ujjayini.

In the second act, Kalidas has achieved fame and is married to a sophisticated noblewoman, Priyangumanjari, while Mallika is heartbroken and alone. Kalidas visits his village with his wife and a small retinue. He avoids meeting Mallika, but Priyangumanjari does. Priyangumanjari demeaningly offers to help her by making her a royal companion and marrying her to one of the royal attendants, but Mallika declines.

In the third act, Kalidas re-appears in the village. Mallika, who is now a prostitute with a small daughter learns that he has renounced his courtly life and the governorship of Kashmir that he had been granted. Kalidas comes to see Mallika but, learning of her situation, despairs. The play ends with him leaving her house abruptly.