Sanskrit Struggles to Survive

[Guest guest]

This report was broadcast yesterday on the BBC World Service, which I

receive via the U.S.'s National Public Radio. I ran a quick search

this morning, and sure enough, there's a transcript. The text and

link (to see pictures, etc) are below. I'd be interested to hear

whether any members have opinions on this report? Is the concern

about Sanskrit warranted? Or was it just a slow news day?

 

Monday, 5 August, 2002, 12:51 GMT 13:51 UK

SANSKRIT STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE

 

By Sanjeev Srivastava

BBC correspondent in Bombay

 

One of the oldest languages in the world, Sanskrit, is now in danger

of becoming extinct in India, the country of its origin.

 

Sanskrit was the language of the elite in ancient India, but it no

longer enjoys the exalted status it once had.

 

Most Indian languages still use the basic grammar of Sanskrit.

 

But no more than a few thousand people in a country of more than one

billion can claim to read, write and speak fluent Sanskrit.

 

POOR JOB PROSPECTS

 

In Bombay's Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, one of the city's oldest and

biggest education institutions, students recite Sanskrit shlokas.

 

Only 150 students come here to learn this ancient language - a very

small number if you compare it with the tens of thousands of students

who go out every day to the city's schools and colleges.

 

So why are so few students coming to learn Sanskrit?

 

The school's principal, Narendra Kumar Singh says there are very few

jobs for anyone studying Sanskrit.

 

"At most, they can become a teacher in Sanskrit schools, Sanskrit

colleges so their salaries are also very meagre."

 

"The other opportunity for them is to perform [religious] rituals for

some rich people," he added.

 

LACKING RELEVANCE?

 

The other reason why Sanskrit is losing out is because it was never

really the language of the masses.

 

It was the language of the elite used for correspondence amongst

royalty and for composing classic prose and poetry.

 

There are some who opt for Sanskrit because it is regarded as a

subject in which one can get high grades and can help improve one's

overall grades.

 

But most students learn the language to know about the past.

 

There is a school of thought which believes that teaching and

learning Sanskrit is a complete waste of time and resources,

especially as most Sanskrit colleges are publicly funded.

 

Critics of Sanskrit say government-funded colleges should be

preparing students for the real world and offer only vocational and

employment-oriented courses.

 

However, Sanskrit scholars like Girish Jani rubbish this approach.

 

"Why should we read Shakespeare? Why should we read Sartre? Are they

connected really with the life in the first attempt? No.

 

"We, at our own level, want to be refined, to be cultured, to be a

better person and this is here, we need Sanskrit."

 

Scholars like Mr Jani do have a point and there is logic in their

argument about Sanskrit being a language of cultural refinement,

 

But the sad reality is that Sanskrit is fighting a losing battle in

the country of its origin.

 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2173400.stm