Final answer:
It is difficult to specify the exact number of plays that remain from the Indian Golden Age due to the loss of manuscripts over time and the potential discovery of new texts. However, numerous important works from playwrights like Kalidasa have survived and are studied today.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question "How many plays remain from the Indian Golden Age?" requires an exploration of classical Indian literature. The Indian Golden Age, often identified with the Gupta Empire period, which lasted from approximately 320 to 550 CE, was a time of immense cultural flourishing in India, particularly in the fields of art, literature, and science. During this era, a large number of plays were composed, primarily in Sanskrit, by various playwrights.
One of the most renowned playwrights from this period is Kalidasa, whose works like 'Shakuntala' and 'The Recognition of Shakuntala' are still widely celebrated and studied. However, quantifying the exact number of plays from the Indian Golden Age that remain today is challenging due to the potential loss of manuscripts over time, and the discovery of new manuscripts could change our current knowledge. Furthermore, literature from ancient India also includes significant contributions from other playwrights such as Bhasa and Sudraka, but not all of their works have survived to the modern day.
In summary, though there is no definitive number, several important works from the Indian Golden Age have survived and are extant. These include the works of Kalidasa, Bhasa, and others that offer us valuable insights into ancient Indian culture and theatre.