The Absent Traveller

by A.K. Mehrotra

The book is one of the earliest anthologies of Indian poetry compiled by the Satavahana King Hala, around the second century AD, who composed a celebrated collection of 700 verses in Maharashtri Prakrit. The book contains exquisite translations by A.K. Mehrotra of 207 verses from the Gathasaptasati, which constitute a major contribution to modern Indian poetry in English. The book also contains the Prakrit version of each poem translated.The volume is meant to be enjoyed as poetry and makes lively reading for general and scholarly tastes. A.K. MEHROTRA teaches english at Allahabad University and is a well-known poet.