THE CITY OF THE GIFTED POET 37

birth—somewhere in the neighbourhood of Ujjain—is
not known, it is nevertheless generally believed that he
spent most of his life on the banks of the Sipra where,
as a boy praying in the temple of Kali, so the story goes,
the goddess granted him in a flash the giffc of letters and
song. How the mortal thus favoured honoured his
Donor is seen in his classic works of drama and poetry
in language yet to be surpassed. Some verses of his
Cloud Messenger sing of Ujjain, verses that reveal the
poet's fondness for this city.

From the thirteenth century onwards for many
hundred years, Ujjain knew but intermittant peace,
for not a wave of raiders came but did not destory idols
and burn temples and. carry away the city's wealth.
The treasures of the Golden Age and of far more ancient
times fell to the hands either of looters or bigots, so
that in the Ujjain of today little, if anything remains of
the beauties for which it was renowned.

With the passing centuries Ujjain ceased to rebuild
its temples, in their stead factories have been erected.
Motor roads and railway tracks lead to this centre and
carry away goods manufactured in the mills, and the
produce of the Malwa plateau. Large public buildings,
uneasy in their surroundings, contrast strangely with
the huddled, old-fashioned houses along the narrow
streets. A few pilgrims still wander about and find their
way to the Sipra ghats, the brass-worker is busy with
his metal, the cloth-merchant on bis snow-white bolster
is engrossed in his customer, and in the market-place
the peasants tender their produce to the townsfolk.

Something of the historical town, however, still
remains. In a very ancient and famous temple is