Arshia Sattar is an acclaimed translator essayist and children’s writer who works on Sanskrit literature. A PhD in classical Indian literature from the University of Chicago her translations from Sanskrit include Tales from the Kathasaritsagara and The Ramayana of Valmiki. She is also the author of many children’s books including Ramayana for Children and Mahabharata for Children which won her the Sahitya Akademi Award for Children’s Literature in 2022. In 2023 Sattar was given the prestigious Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government for her contributions to Indian literature.
<p>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. </p><div><br></div>
