Fwd: Sri Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya Trust

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas:

I am forwarding the message from Sri Rajagopala Iyengar Swami,Chairman of

Sri Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya Trust, for your information. Any help will

be gratefully acknowledged by the Trust.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

========================================================================>

" RR " <rr

><ramanbil

>Sri Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya Trust

>Fri, 17 Jan 2003 22:16:23 +0800

>

>Dear Shri Ramaswamin,

>

>Sending h/w file 1 - Sanskrit Patasalas - A long term Vision:

>

>Sri Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya Trust - Srirangam

>Sanskrit Veda & Prabandham Patasalas - A Strategic Vision

>

>It had been the ardent desire of H.H. Srimad Andavan to start new

>Veda/Prabandham Patasalas in different centers, train many Vidyarthis in

>Vedas, Prabandham, Agamas and Hari Kathas', start Siromani courses in

>Ayurveda to develop Adhikaris in these disciplines; thus He has advised

>that we reverse the current declining trend by i) starting Patasalas in

>different centers, ii) inducting Vidyarthis with proper background, iii)

>offering adequate financial support during their studies (presently

>Rs.500/- per month) and a lump sum on completion when they enter their

>profession and iv) teaching them to read/ write English, to acquire basic

>Math's knowledge, to operate computer etc., to be reasonably literate in

>the modern education as well.

>

>As a first step, we have started a Veda Patasala (our second, the first is

>at Srirangam) at Vaduvur under our Asthana Ganapati Sri Veeravalli

>Srinivasa Desikachariar on the 18th October 2001 with 7 Vidyarthis; now

>this Patasala has 24 Vidyarthis including 3 aiming to become Salakshana

>Ganapatis. His Sishya Ganapati Govindachar Swami assists him in this

>adventure that is progressing beautifully due to the tremendous efforts and

>commitment of the Ganapati Swami and his Sishya (the bonus here is that the

>3 would be Ganapatis have completed their Kramantham under him and double

>as Teachers, when the need arises, for the Shaakai course!!). The first

>batch of Vidyarthis will complete their Shaakai course by Dec. 2003. As

>they will graduate to their Samhithai course, the Ganapati Swami will

>recruit the second batch of 20/25 Vidyarthis by early 2004.

>

>By early 2006/07 we will recruit the third batch of Vidyarthis, when the

>first batch will complete their Padhams and move on to Kramantham. The

>Asramam premises cannot fully accommodate all the incoming Vidyarthis and

>we need extra accommodation. A family of committed Sishyas of H.H. Srimad

>Andavan in Vaduvur has offered their ancestral property, opposite to our

>Asramam building, on an initial lease of 15 years (yes, years!!). There is

>no charge for this lease. This house property will be renovated at a cost

>of appr. Rs. 6.00 lakhs to accommodate the said new Vidyarthis from 2004

>onwards.

>

>As per the directions of H.H. we have started/are starting more Patasalas

>at:

>

> i) Kanchipuram - we have a sprawling Asramam premises (which is used

>with some modifications for the Patasala), an Adhikari had been appointed

>and the Patasala was started on 18th August 2002 with 7 Vidyarthis and is

>progressing well.

>

> ii) Thiruvahindrapuram - construction of Asramam/ Veda Patasala building

>nearing completion, targeted date of completion/ commencement of classes -

>Sankaranthi day 2003.We are also planning to start Prabandham classes' full

>time and part time at Kanchipuram and at Thiruvahindrapuram.

>

>iii) Thiruchanoor - a plot measuring app. 6 grounds was purchased in June

>2002 @ Rs.9.25 lakhs to accommodate an Asramam/ Veda Patasala & Kalyana

>Mandapam, a major project with a budget of Rs. 55.00 lakhs, the target date

>of completion for the Patasala October/November 2003. Our Srikaryam Swami

>and our Ganapati Swami formally inaugurated this Patasala on Sunday the

>27th October 2002 with 18 Vidyarthis. The current strength is 27 incl. 4

>Vidyarthis who have enrolled for the Rig Veda Adhyayanam (total teachers -

>3). The Patasala is now functioning in two rented houses. More Vidyarthis

>will join shortly; we shall cap this at a maximum of 40 Vidyarthis for

>administrative reasons. Sri V.Chakravarthi, a retired official from

>T.T.Devasthanams is our Trustee in charge of this project subject to the

>writer's direct control.

>

> iv) Chennai outer/ Pallikkaranai: The mini Mandapam at the Chennai

>Asramam will be converted as the premises for the Pracheena Pathathi

>Vidwans scheme being launched by H.H. shortly. We also have over 2000

>Sq.Feet of built space available in the Main Mandapam and we can utilise

>this also. In Pallikkaranai/ outer Chennai area we are looking for app. 4/6

>grounds of vacant land to build yet another Patasala, if this succeeds well

>and good otherwise we will run this at our Asramam premises!

>

> H.H. desires that we should train as many Vidyarthis as feasible in Veda

>Adhyayanam, Prabandham, Hari Kathas, Agama and/or in Upadhyayam in view of

>the severe shortage of trained Adhikaris. We hope that these projects will

>be up and running full steam by 2006/07 when we plan to have around 225/250

>Vidyarthis at different levels in these Patasalas. The most proficient and

>the brightest Vidyarthis from the Siromani courses will be sponsored for

>higher studies, say M.A., M.Phil, PhD etc., The ultimate goal is a Sanskrit

>University named after Sri Bashyakarar, latest by 2015, being the

>Sathabishekam year of H.H. Srimad Andavan!!

>

> Similarly the brightest and the best from the Veda Patasalas will be

>sponsored for Kramantham, Jata Parayana/Gana Parayana Adhyayanam and for

>Veda Baashyam, (say equal to a D.Sc in Vedas) with higher level of

>stipends. We have started M.A. (Sanskrit) course this year in the Arts &

>Science College (for administrative reasons). 8 Students have enrolled this

>year, encouraging compared to other Colleges in the region but inadequate

>for an Institution of our standing. However it is a good beginning and we

>have to build on this for the future. By 2005/06/07, we plan to start

>M.Phil. & PhD courses in Sanskrit in our College itself. This will partly

>redeem another unfulfilled wish of the Founder, the late H.H. Srimad

>Thirukkudanthai Andavan who often dreamt of many such projects; His

>successor H.H.Srimad Srimushnam Andavan is fulfilling all those dreams and

>much more.

>

> By the year 2006/07 the revenue expenses for the Sanskrit Patasalas are

>estimated @ Rs. 55.00/60.00 lakhs annually to be met from the revenue

>incomes of Sri Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya Trust and from the donations of

>many committed Sishyas and Abhimanis who are already contributing

>substantially in this regard. We pray to the Padukas that their support

>will continue.

>

>Our Vice Chairman Sri V.S. Narasimhan has, with the Blessings of H.H.,

>proposed that we start Siromani courses for Ayurveda now and an Ayurveda

>College later for which all support will be forthcoming from the

>University, but we need hospital beds for this. We are entering into a

>collaboration with a university in the U.S. in the field of Bio Sciences

>with particular reference to Ayurvedic life saving and other medicines

>requiring a full fledged Herbal Garden (even otherwise needed for the

>College for Ayurveda). A separate note will be submitted by VSN in this

>regard.

>

> H.H. Srimad Andavan is very very serious about these projects as He is

>very much concerned with the dearth of trained Adhikaris. We are bound to

>ensure that the Patasalas are properly established, transparently organised

>and efficiently administered. Currently we have 123 Vidyarthis in four

>Patasalas plus 8 in the College for M.A. Sanskrit as against 50 (in two

>Patasalas) at the same time last year. This number will increase before

>March 2003!! Shri Kasturirangan, Trustee, Sri Paduka Charities, has been

>directed by H.H. to assist the Trust in the administration and has

>therefore been inducted into the Executive Committee of Sri Ranganatha

>Paduka Vidyalaya Trust.

>

> We need to specify strategic goals for these Patasalas in terms of the

>resting capacity of the Vidyarthis in each unit, the long term salary

>structure, stipends payable, ex- gratia payable on completion, how these

>Adhikaris would be helped to find their feet professionally etc., and

>develop a policy manual to administer these projects professionally.

>

> There are two areas (of deep concern); firstly the Asramam and its

>Patasalas have to institutionalise a set up to train Ganapatis in Vedas,

>otherwise the future will be quite bleak. After completing Kramantham or

>even the Padhams most youngsters go for the Profession of Upadhyayam by

>taking a short-term training course with some reputed & senior Vadhyars.

>Saastras stipulate that only those who have completed Veda Adhyayanam can

>go on for Upa-Adhyayam but many take up Upadhyayam as a profession without

>completing even the Padhams in Vedas and become Brihaspathis (Vadhyars as

>we know them).

>

> Already the Vedas available are quite limited in number, over the past

>several decades the output from the Veda Patasalas - particularly from the

>Vaishanavaite Patasalas in Tamizhnadu - is dwindling, maybe we are focusing

>more on teaching of Saastras. For the past two decades, thanks to the

>efforts of the late H.H. Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan, some bright Saama

>Veda Adhikaris have also blossomed. These limited steps are clearly not

>adequate as Jata / Gana Parayanam and Veda Baashyam will be lost to our

>Asramam Patasalas unless steps are taken in right earnest in this regard.

>Just as we are introducing Master's & Doctoral degree courses in our Arts &

>Science College, we should develop higher studies in Vedas in our

>Patasalas. A dozen Adhikaris completing their Gana Parayanam and Veda

>Baashyam in our Patasalas by 2010 will thereafter develop two generations

>of Adhikaris on their own.

>

> The German Universities, Indo French Institute etc., have taken up the

>study of Sanskrit / Vedas in a big way. The latter is now running a huge

>Project in Pondicherry with the help of Maha Vidwan U.Ve Sri

>Srivatsankachariar Swami to transliterate and digitize several of our

>ancient Granthams whereby instant translations will be available in several

>European languages at the click of a mouse as it were!! But we in

>Tamizhnadu have allowed the Study of Sanskrit to languish and the study of

>Vedas more to the efforts of private schools (apart from the Sankara Mutt

>Patasalas).

>

> SriVaishnavaite Temples and Mutts run some very strong Veda/Agama

>Patasalas in Andhra and other states. We should do this in Tamizhnadu and

>ensure a steady flow of trained Adhikaris through our Patasalas. A group of

>15/20 Adhikaris coming through once every 6/7 years is not enough; we need

>a minimum of 30/40 Adhikaris coming out every year from our Patasalas at

>least from 2007/08 onwards. We should develop our Srirangam Patasala as an

>Institution of Excellence in the study of Vedas as well.

>

> Secondly the level of Excellence of the Saastras' teachers at our

>Srirangam Patasala has to be drastically up graded; no doubt they have

>their M.Phil. & PhD's, they do teach the Vidyarthis well and get good

>results in the Siromani exams but this is not an end by itself. Our

>teachers are to be constantly trained and their knowledge up graded with a

> " training the trainers " programme by inducting MahaVidwans as Visiting

>Professors and given a very strong grounding in Meemamsa and Vyakarna. In

>say 5/6 years they will gain the level of Vidwath that will add Real Value

>to our Patasala, that will enable them to attract brilliant Vidyarthis to

>our Patasala and that will empower them to train a whole generation of

>Scholars on their own. H.H.Srimad Andavan has taken a momentous decision in

>this regard; we want to keep this under wraps till this is implemented

>successfully. In my humble opinion this is the most difficult but the most

>essential component of all our assignments. We cannot afford to fail here.

>

>The Grace of the Poorvacharyas' Padukas and the Blessings of H.H. Srimad

>Andavan will ensure that the Sanskrit & Veda Patasalas Projects will be run

>properly, transparently and successfully.

>

> R.Rajagopal

> S.Narasimha Raghavan

>

>Chairman.

> Srikaryam.

>

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