A new shastra: Sanskrit moves from pundits to people (Hindustan Times)

[Guest guest]

Zia Haq, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, September 22, 2007

 

A growing number of professionals like doctors and lawyers, students and

even housewives across the country are rediscovering the magic of Sanskrit. And

they are doing it not for any degree, but for the love of the language.

 

The latest report of the country’s apex body for Sanskrit learning under the

HRD ministry — the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan — says that between 2004 and

2006, over 2.5 lakh people learnt Sanskrit through its “non-formal course”.

Among them are 500 doctors, as many lawyers, 4,000 businessmen, 8,000 housewives

and 20,000 retired professionals.

 

The trend is not region- or religion-specific. Recently, 32 Muslim youths

approached the head of Kashmir University’s Sanskrit department, S Razdan,

requesting her to help them learn the language. Surprised, Razdan wrote to the

Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan’s Jammu coordinator, Prof. Vishwamurthy Shastri.

 

The Sansthan started the course in 2004 with 5,000 students at 100 centres.

Today, there are over 1,000 centres. “It is remarkable that none who enroll do

so for a degree, but for the love of the language. Remember it’s a non-formal

course,” said Ratan Mohan Jha, the Sansthan’s national coordinator.

 

There are some who are interested in the 4,000-year-old language to pursue

their interests. Dr Atulananda Ramteke, who runs an orthopaedic clinic in

Shalimar Bagh, said: “Ancient Sushruta medicine always attracted me. That is why

I opted for the course.” Sushruta, he said, was a renowned surgeon of the Vedic

era.

 

BS Lata, Tamil teacher in Delhi, wanted to read the epics: “The non-formal

course is just right for me.” She attends classes at Samwadshala, one of the 10

centres in Delhi.

Prof. Shastri said over phone from Jammu that students like MF Beigh wished to

learn Sanskrit after learning about NASA consultant Rick Briggs’s study, which

had found that Sanskrit sharpened mental faculties.

 

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