Raghu Vamsha Or An Account of The Family of Raghu

Raghuvamsha is a Sanskrit mahakavya (epic poem) by the most celebrated Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. Though an exact date of composition is unknown, the poet is presumed to have flourished in the 5th century CE. It narrates, in 19 sargas (cantos), the stories related to the Raghu dynasty, namely the family of Dilipa and his descendants up to Agnivarna, who include Raghu, Dasharatha and Rama. The earliest surviving commentary written on the work is that of the 10th-century Kashmiri scholar Vallabhadeva. The most popular and widely available commentary, however, is the Sanjivani, written by Mallinatha (ca.1350-1450).

Kalidasa (4th-5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest playwright and dramatist. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. His surviving works consist of three plays, two epic poems and two shorter poems. Much about his life is unknown except what can be inferred from his poetry and plays. His works cannot be dated with precision, but they were most likely authored before the 5th century CE. According to the scholar Pandit Digambar Jha of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University in his book "Mithila and Kalidas" claimed Kalidasa as him being a Maithil and a gem of Mithila. He lived at Kalidas Dih in Madhubani district of Bihar.