Chapter 4 - How to connect Sanskrit with common man

How to connect Sanskrit with common man is a question worth pondering. Social media, Radio and Television are important and effective means for it. Sanskrit programmes need to be broadcast and telecast by Radio and Television more frequently. For the television it is not only the Doordarshan and there too only its Bharati wing that should take the lead but also all other channels. Private sponsors may be persuaded for this laudable mission. With proper approach there may be no dearth of them. Love for Sanskrit is ingrained in people in all professions. Only that has to be channelized through proper and persistent motivation in favour of Sanskrit. There should be more of variety in Sanskrit programmes in Radio and television -staging of one-act plays, putting on board satires, comedies and serials touching modern themes, introducing monologues, poetic recitations, Antyaksari contests, mono-acting, story-telling, declamations, debates, panel discussions, singing of Sanskrit songs individually and in chorus in classical and non-classical tunes like thumri, ghazal (Sanskritized as Kajjalika), qawwali (Sanskritized as Kakalika), as also in Western tunes (there is news recently of the coming up of a band under the name Dhruva) and poetic symposia, the Kavi-sammelanas, or Kavi-gosthis, especially those with comic element, the HasyaCC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized

rasa. These will be a hit with the people and will go a long way in popularizing Sanskrit. So will be the games in Sanskrit on computer and the mobile phones or the fun games played with dice, cards, spinning wheel and styled in the conventional Ludo and Snake and Ladder format. So will also be the animation CDs and the CDs of Sanskrit songs sung with orchestra. So will also be the street corner plays going by the name nukkad natak in Hindi. So will also be documentaries on places of historical, cultural, religious and tourist interest and also places which are noteworthy for their unique feature like the villages where the entire population speaks Sanskrit, the villages Muttur and Hosahally in Karnataka and Jhiri, Mohad and Baghuwar in Madhya Pradesh. Documentaries could also be made on the life and work of prominent personalities that could include outstanding Sanskrit scholars and literary figures, past and present, the figures that have enriched the world of letters by their monumental creations. So could also be films with titles in Hindi/regional languages/English that can go down well with people. The classic example is the film Shankaracharya which not only won the hearts of the people but also Oscar because of its technical finesse. There is also a suggestion that Sanskrit programmes be organized in local art forms as also the folk tunes that strike a chord with the audience. For small children comics and cartoon films in easy viewerfriendly Sanskrit with a few local words thrown in need to be telecast often enough. They will be drawn to them and through them to Sanskrit. For their theme they could well draw on the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Vetalapancavimsati, the Pancatantra, the Hitopadesa and other story books, ancient and modern. Apart from entertaining children, they will leave healthy influence on their impressionable minds. Chanda Mama, the popular children's magazine had embarked on its Sanskrit edition. It is unfortunate that the same has now been discontinued due to lack of readership, the reason advanced for its discontinuation.

It is a matter of utmost regret that instead of having more children's magazines the one already existing had to be closed down. It needs to be revived by encouraging public and private libraries and individuals and Primary Schools to subscribe to it and also to such other magazines should they be brought out. Words could also be taught to children in the preliminary classes with pictures illustrating them. The focus has always to be on making Sanskrit as interesting and attractive as possible to draw the children to it. Children's literature is particularly scanty in Sanskrit. More concerted efforts are needed to augment it. 62 This effort need not necessarily be limited to Lower K.G. and upper K.G. only but should stretch to all levels. It should be left to the ingenuity of teachers to devise their method/s to make the subject/texts appealing. The teaching of the Kavyas need to be preceded by recitation of the verses in traditional mode going with the metres in which they are couched and not read like prose. The teaching of drama should be accompanied with a bit of acting going with the depiction of the scene, something tried very successfully by innovation-driven teachers. While teaching Samasas (compounds) an old stanza with a narrative preceding it could well be pressed into service: dvandvo'ham dviguraham grhe me sada'vyayibhavah | tatpurusa karmadharaya yena syamaham bahuvrihih || slime tad The attempt on the part of the teacher should be to exorcise the mind of the learners of the feeling that Sanskrit is something very dull, a kind of burden to be carried willy-nilly. For this are needed the right type of Sanskrit teachers. Apart from their being good in the subject, they have to have the proper motivation to carry it forward. For this short term courses or summer camps with financial incentives is the desideratum. The teachers must be enthused themselves before they can be expected to enthuse others. They do not have to take CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection,

their work as mere vocation but as mission. They have to make their teaching so interesting that the students do not feel bored or burdened. Teach Sanskrit they must but teach in such a way that students get attracted to it. They have also to strive to pull through a coup of sorts to change the negative perception of people about Sanskrit. With that achieved, the Departments of Sanskrit that had to be closed down due to lack of students may be revived, so would a large number of Sanskrit Pathashalas in Punjab and Bihar (according to available information 80 Primary and Secondary Schools, more than 100 Senior Secondary Schools, 17 Govt. Sanskrit Vidyalayas have been closed down in Madhubani District alone in Bihar), the near-extinct Oriental Colleges in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and a host of other institutions in the rest of the country. This may also result in the change in the attitude of some State Governments from apathetic to sympathetic. Radio and television could also broadcast and telecast programmes on healthcare in simple, easy to understand, Sanskrit by competent Ayurvedic physicians. People suffering from ailments would have to turn to them which would act as a catalyst for them to learn Sanskrit. Some of the popular serials in Hindi and regional languages could be dubbed in Sanskrit and shown on the television in prime time in all India channels. The story being already familiar to viewers, they would enjoy them. There is a suggestion to set up a separate T.V. channel for Sanskrit. If it materializes, the spectacle of a live cricket commentary in Sanskrit could turn into a reality! There should be a Sanskrit Website which may contain all the relevant information about Sanskrit language and literature. There is a suggestion that public libraries and reading rooms should have Sanskrit periodicals, particularly those that may interest common people. That is one sure means of attracting people to Sanskrit.

A couple of years back a Sanskrit book fair, pustakamela, I was held at Bangalore which was a roaring success. Thronged by people from all walks of life it had helped create an atmosphere for Sanskrit. Such kinds of fairs need to be organized in different cities and towns at regular intervals. There is a suggestion that small Sanskrit centres need to be set up in smaller towns as also in villages to teach people conversational Sanskrit with accent on inculcation of moral and ethical values. Resources for these could be mobilized locally by persuading the more affluent of the people. In view of the rapid growth in the process of dependence on Computers and other electronic devices in the contemporary scenario, it is suggested that a well thought-out strategy needs be chalked out to generate e-learning materials and e-contents of reputed Sanskrit classics with hyperlinks for the benefit of a larger number of learners desirous of having access to Sanskrit. For this Sanskrit Post-graduates and research students need to be trained in preparation of e-books. It is not out of place to mention that the Govt. of India has already introduced a project entitled "National Mission for Information and Communication Technology" (NMICT) under which e-PG Pathashala Scheme has been formulated and a huge amount of fund is sanctioned based on the proposals for e-content generation in various subjects at PG level. It is noticed that some NRIs, because of their love and respect for their motherland and her culture, are deeply interested to ensure the revival of ancient Indian traditional system of wisdom and for that purpose, have formed some organisations. Moreover , some foreign universities have established centres for learning Sanskrit and conducting research on Indology. It will be in the fitness of things if proper tie-ups can be had with those so that the Sanskrit learning process can get a boost in the country and abroad. It is further suggested that the activities of the NGOs committed to the cause of CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Dofi Sanskrit in the country be

accessed and the best one among them be rewarded with an attractive cash prize. Apart from television the Sanskrit programmes can be organized in community centres or the panchayat buildings in remote areas to draw people to Sanskrit. Classes for Sanskrit teaching could also be organised there. So could be organised the informal Sanskrit teaching in community centres in each district in each State. There is a suggestion that there should be a Sanskrit teacher in every village to be appointed by an NGO which merits serious consideration for he, in addition to inculcating in the rural folk human values, could also be helpful in settling many a dispute by referring to scriptures. An important means to connect the common people with Sanskrit is to make them familiar with it. One way of doing this is to put Sanskrit one-liners on hoardings at road crossings, Govt. offices, courts, hospitals and other public places. In line with this is the laying of orchards in cities and towns of trees and plants with such flowers and fruits as find frequent mention in Sanskrit literature with their names both in Sanskrit and Hindi/regional languages. They could be, apart from their educative value, of tourist interest too being thus a good source of revenue. Along with the entertainment media that could be profitably utilized for popularizing Sanskrit there could be the more serious efforts like organizing a series of lectures for introducing people to Sanskrit literature and all that it contains by eminent personalities from time to time to the accompaniment of slide shows. Along with this monographs can be prepared on Sanskrit literature through experts and distributed among the masses at nominal price. This will acquaint the present generation with the wealth of thought in Sanskrit literature that would instil in it national pride. A Sanskrit scholar of Ahmedabad who is known for his innovativeness in Sanskrit poetry has to his credit in introducing

innovativeness in connecting Sanskrit with common man. He, of the name of Harsh Dev Madhav, has started a Sanskrit Consultancy Service in his city. This needs to be emulated by others too. The Sanskritists should not always look up to the Govt. to do things for them. They should come forward themselves to help the cause of Sanskrit in their own way. They should mingle with the people, go to the parks, join the morning walkers, chat with them and tell them about the value of Sanskrit and provide them free coaching in Sanskrit, should some from among them show interest in learning it. That would be doing real service to Sanskrit. Sanskrit has to be made people friendly. In a competitive world Sanskrit has to create space for itself. There has to start a Sanskrit movement in the country. Every votary of it has to offer his self to join it. He has to think of the ways to further it one of which could be to organize Prabhat Pheris, the lovers of Sanskrit roaming in groups in streets in their localities at regular intervals reciting Sanskrit verses early morning awakening the curiosity of the people about the language they have scanty knowledge of but for which have nevertheless great regard. In General Knowledge questions in Public Service examinations there should be questions on Sanskrit which should not be limited to the titles of the books or the names of their authors but should also concern the content. Every institution which has Sanskrit teaching should make it a point to observe Sanskrit Day or, preferably, Sanskrit Week to highlight its importance by organizing a variety of programmes to which common people may be invited. With the wards of quite a few of them being in active roles in these programmes, they would be interested in joining them. When they would go home after attending them (the programmes) they would carry something of Sanskrit with them. As said earlier, there are fifteen Sanskrit Universities in the country at present with one of CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, wtbempithead Rashtriya Sanskrit Dis or

Sansthan, having tweleve campuses while the sixteenth one is in the offing and eighteen Sanskrit Academies. It is time they move beyond their academics and take upon themselves the responsibility of reaching out to the common people by educating them about the great treasures of Sanskrit by organizing special awareness programmes and other activities that may be to their liking creating thus a favourable climate for the promotion and propagation of Sanskrit. Sometimes even small gestures like sending invitations in Sanskrit for family functions like marriage can play a significant role in drawing people to Sanskrit. The writer of these lines had a glimpse of it some time back. He had composed a verse, in Sanskrit for the marriage of his granddaughter: sarvairbandhujanaih pitamahamukhairya''sirvacovardhita ya pitrorhrdayam dvitiyamiva, ya snehena samposita | bhratra tatpathagamina bahutaram ya sadaram viksita sveta sa vrajati priyam patigrham sarvairanujnayatam || "Who is blessed by grandparents and all other relatives. Who is brought up in all affection by her parents as if she were their second heart. Who is looked upon with great respect by her brother who wants to follow in her footsteps. That Shveta is leaving for her dear husband's home, may she have permission of all (of you) for it." The stanza so caught the imagination of the people, most of them in different professions, the class fellows of his son of school days, the colleagues of his son in his engineering firm, in that that they chose to preserve the invitation card just for that verse only. Not only that, they approached his son to request the writer of these lines to compose a similar verse for the marriage of their son or daughter when the time came for that so that they could also have it in their invitation cards. Obviously, the Sanskrit composition had struck a chord with them.

This is a recent occurrence. Earlier Ghulam Dastgir Birajdar, a Muslim scholar of Sanskrit had issued an invitation in Sanskrit for the marriage of his son. The invitation issued in the name of his mother Masum Bi Abbas Ali Birajdar for the sheer felicity of its expression, bears reproduction here: avyaktamekam mahammada avatarah iti gajanimahamudasya nanake gamanagamane capi bhaso bhavati yadyapi | sammano vardhate mama avasyamupasthatavyam | aloni thoil a ( racayita gulama dastagira ) mama caturthaputra mahammada isahaka ityasya subhavivahah srigulabasahibasekha - mahodayasya bhutapurva indapuranagaradhyaksasya kanisthasukanya rasida ityanaya saha suniscitah krtah | ayam vivahasamarohah asya disembaramasasya ekavimsatitame dinamke ravivasare (21.12.1975) pratah sardhadasavadanasamaye ( 10.30 ) pomalavadi relayanasthanakasamipe vinirmite mandape samarajitah bhavisyati iti samudam nivedaye | asmin subhavasare bhavadbhih saparivaramagatya subhasisah samarpayitavya iti manasa sagraham prarthaye | bhavadiya vinita masuma bi abbasa ali virajadara So does bear the reproduction here of the letter of invitation for the marriage of his niece by Shankar Prasad Mukherjee a senior I.A.S officer (Retd.) || sriganesaya namah || daॉ . sukla, harendranathamukharji ityanayoh suputryah atasi ityasyah srimativanita- srirajivaramjanayoh suputrena rahulena malaparinayanantaram sampatsyamane pritibhojane srisankaraprasadah mukharji disambaramasasya navamadinanke ratrau astavadane daksinadehalyam ' kalibada़ी 'ti sthale (malai-mandirasamipe ) sektar, ramakrsnapuram, baharimudrikamargah ityatra bhavatam /bhavatinam samupasthitim sadaram prarthayate | uttarapeksi CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection), ikaraprasada mukharji, ai .e.esa . (se .ni . )

So also bears the reproduction here of the letter of invitation for the marriage of their son by Dr. Naheed Abidi and Ehtesham Abidi of his son Dr. Ali Imam Abidi: daॉ . nahida abidi ehatesama abidi ca svatmajasya ayusmatah da . aliimamaabidivarasya subhavivahopalaksye samayojite pritibhoje svakiyaya garimamayopasthitya snehasisam mrdulajyotsnaya ca navadampatyorbhavijivanam jyotirmayam vidhatum sagrahamamantranam svikurvantviti prarthayete | If the Sanskritists are really interested in the spread of Sanskrit, they should undertake a vow to speak and correspond with each other in Sanskrit. They should also put their wards, their sons and daughters, to Sanskrit. There is no point in preaching to others what they themselves do not practice. Sanskrit news is broadcast by All India Radio. It also needs to be broadcast by F.M. Radio. It is telecast at present by only Doordarshan. Other channels like India TV, Zee News, NDTV, AAJ TAK, India News, IBN 7, ABP News, DNA etc. which have wide viewership also need to introduce this. For Doordarshan as also other channels it may not have to be just notional, only for five minutes, but for as much time and as many times as is given to news telecast for other languages. It is a national task to be tackled nationally. It may also be emphasized that the news be broadcast or telecast at prime time along with Hindi/regional languages and English. Further, proper care should be exercised in the correctness of the language. The news translators should strive to maintain quality format. For generating interest in Sanskrit the educational institutions may be encouraged to organize Talent Festivals periodically on the lines of the one organized annually by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati and the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan where students from different educational institutions of India engage themselves in competitions of various

kinds, like the quiz competition, mono-acting competition, sastrartha competition, competition in short-skits and so on. For a few days of the festivals the entire atmosphere gets surcharged with Sanskrit. It should be made mandatory that during these festivals the participants would speak in Sanskrit only, not only at the formal events but even while interacting with each other. This will generate a kind of enthusiasm for Sanskrit speaking which they can pass on to their classmates when they go back to their respective institutions.