ON his hunting expedition in the middle of the forest, King Dusyanta sees the hermit girl Sakuntala for the first time. She so transfixes him thatas Kalidasas 5th century play Sakuntala depicts it, King Dusyanta is overwhelmed:

My body goes forward,But my reluctant mind runs backLike Chinese silk on a bannerTrembling against the wind

Kalidasas metaphor of Chinese silk shows the exotic attraction that goods from the neighboring country calling itsel