Before Cinderella, there was Shakuntala

Once a lovely girl was born to Sage Vishwamitra and the celestial damsel Menaka. Menaka dropped the new born baby in the hermitage of Rishi Kanva and left. Kanva was doing his daily prayers when he heard Shakuntal birds fluttering around the baby. He adopted the baby and called her "Shakuntala". Shakuntala grew up to be a beautiful woman. One day King Dushyant of Hastinapur came to the forest to hunt. He saw Shakuntala and immediately fell in love with her. He asked her to marry him. She agreed and they got married in the Gandharva style (Where a woman chooses her own husband. They meet each other on their own accord and consent to live together). A few days after their marriage a messenger informed King Dushyant that he was needed for some urgent work in Hastinapur. He then gave a ring to Shakuntala and told her he would send his ministers to bring her to his palace and left. Shakuntala was miserable and could not stop thinking about Dushyant. Once when Sage Durvasa came on a visit to Rishi Kanva's hermitage, she did not notice him and welcome him as her thoughts were always on Dushyant. Durvasa got angry and cursed her stating since she forgot to welcome a guest lost in thoughts of some person, the same person will also forget her! Shakuntala was devastated and asked him for his forgiveness. Then he told her the person will remember her if he sees an object he has given her.

PS: This story is to be continued...

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