Diwali Celebration 2025

Join the Green School for a fascinating exploration of the 4th-century Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa, often hailed as the “Shakespeare of India.” Kālidāsa’s works captured acclaim in his own era and spread to Europe after William Jones’ 1789 English translation of The Recognition of Shakuntala (Abhijñānaśākuntalam). His enduring relevance raises an intriguing question: what explains the centuries of admiration for his poetry? The history of reading Kālidāsa, Dr. Subramaniam argues, serves as a window onto a much broader history of the idea of literature, exhibiting the myriad ways that the art of writing has been understood and leveraged. If Kālidāsa has remained relevant for nearly two millennia, it is because his poetry has satisfied many different understandings of what literature is for. What does the art of writing promise today, and can Kālidāsa deliver?

Join us also for a lighting ceremony, Indian food and classical dance performance in celebration of Diwali 2025.

Guest Speaker

Shiv Subramaniam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at Emory University. His research investigates the reception and philosophical implications of Sanskrit literary works, with a particular focus on classical Sanskrit poetry and the poetry and theology of the Śrīvaiṣṇava religious tradition. His current book project, Discovering Kālidāsa, examines the reception of the 4th-century Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa to explore how works of literature speak beyond their immediate contexts. Other authors Dr. Subramaniam has written on include Bhavabhūti, Kuntaka, Vedāntadeśika, Bilhaṇa, and Sri Aurobindo.

For your convenience, we have reserved parking spaces for the event.

Below is a campus map indicating in yellow the parking location.

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