Saffronizing education

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

chinmoymukherjee wrote:

It is another tragic aspect of our character that we continue to look to Western scholars for sanction of our own legitimate logical and valid ideas and thoughts.Even an overwhelming majority of them ,initially committing the error of judgement of treating it as the language of the priests and astrologers,stumbled upon its vast literature depicting the life  of people who were gifted with deeper insight,creativity and imagination.Their open-minded and none-judgemental approach to life encouraged thoughts on non- religiou

 

Nobody denies the richness of Sanskrit. But how can you say that a language no more capable of communication is alive. Being rich and containing valuable knowledge does not amount to status of living language. Language is a means of communication and medium of instruction and administration. Sanskrit is not spoken language. Sanskrit is not used in govt offices even if declared as second or third official language.  Sanskrit is not medium of instruction in any school. In this scenario, I wonder how you call this living language. A rich language can also be instinct. This is just as Dhirubhai Ambani is not living though very rich.  

 

You may not be aware but there are hundreds of people who are studying, researching and creating their own works in Sanskrit. It probably might be a very small tribe but that tribe is increasing, not only in India but in European nations, especially in Germany. It might look dead to you. but it is not and is well on its way to another revival. So do not dismiss it so quickly./

No one is against Sanskrit. But it is no longer a living language in the sense that it is not a spoken or written language which is also not used officially. Like Latin or Pali it too had a glorious past. By present use norms it is almost impossible for it to become an official language in the near to distant future. However there will always be its lovers who will keep it alive.

vijay wrote:

No one is against Sanskrit. But it is no longer a living language in the sense that it is not a spoken or written language which is also not used officially. Like Latin or Pali it too had a glorious past. By present use norms it is almost impossible for it to become an official language in the near to distant future. However there will always be its lovers who will keep it alive.

Bang on!! It is alive in the hearts of its lovers and so it will remain alive! Call it dead if you like, it does not matter at all!

It is right that Sanskrit is not a common language. Use of its is limited. Sanskrit should be made some easy to learn so more peoples likes to learn and use Sanskrit. It is not good thing to give name to education, saffron, green or white. Every education which is helpful in making good persons are good one.

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

chinmoymukherjee wrote:

It is another tragic aspect of our character that we continue to look to Western scholars for sanction of our own legitimate logical and valid ideas and thoughts.Even an overwhelming majority of them ,initially committing the error of judgement of treating it as the language of the priests and astrologers,stumbled upon its vast literature depicting the life  of people who were gifted with deeper insight,creativity and imagination.Their open-minded and none-judgemental approach to life encouraged thoughts on non- religiou

 

Nobody denies the richness of Sanskrit. But how can you say that a language no more capable of communication is alive. Being rich and containing valuable knowledge does not amount to status of living language. Language is a means of communication and medium of instruction and administration. Sanskrit is not spoken language. Sanskrit is not used in govt offices even if declared as second or third official language.  Sanskrit is not medium of instruction in any school. In this scenario, I wonder how you call this living language. A rich language can also be instinct. This is just as Dhirubhai Ambani is not living though very rich.  

 

You may not be aware but there are hundreds of people who are studying, researching and creating their own works in Sanskrit. It probably might be a very small tribe but that tribe is increasing, not only in India but in European nations, especially in Germany. It might look dead to you. but it is not and is well on its way to another revival. So do not dismiss it so quickly./

One can easily understand why Sanskrit is getting this step motherly treatment by the grand old party and its followers. Sanskrit is the language of Bharat and Hinduism, so it has to be condemned at all costs , right or wrong !

We cannot write off any language as ‘dead’ just because it is not a spoken language of the masses. Sanskrit is alive in the form of many of the valuable ancient literature and scriptures. Having studied till 10th class, I have some fundamental ideas of Sanskrit. It has helped me a lot in many occasions, especially while learning the meaning of the shlokas in Gita, which I believe is one of the most beautiful philosophical poems in the world. Sanskrit language has some kind of enchanting beauty, depending on the concept of beauty of each individual. Instead of killing it, let us allow it to die a natural death in due course. 

RAMAKRISHNAN. A wrote:

We cannot write off any language as ‘dead’ just because it is not a spoken language of the masses. Sanskrit is alive in the form of many of the valuable ancient literature and scriptures. Having studied till 10th class, I have some fundamental ideas of Sanskrit. It has helped me a lot in many occasions, especially while learning the meaning of the shlokas in Gita, which I believe is one of the most beautiful philosophical poems in the world. Sanskrit language has some kind of enchanting beauty, depending on the concept of beauty of each individual. Instead of killing it, let us allow it to die a natural death in due course. 

Some thing not in use is called extinct even if this had beautiful life once upon a time. What is the purpose of language? Undoubtedly communication. Obviously Sanskrit is not used for communication either for personal or official communication. This is mother tongue of no body. Nobody is going to kill Sanskrit. This will be used by pandits performing marriage ceremony or death ceremony or other rituals. Allowing natural death means nothing. The language is already extinct as hardly any body uses this except for religious rituals. 

 

If Sanskrit is extinct, Why so many Magazines are in circulation today ? Why Sahitya Academy, India's National Academy of letters gives an Award every year to writers in Sanskrit language since 1967 ? Why a Sanskrit News Bulletin is broadcast everyday from Doordarshan ? It's a fallacy to think that Sanskrit is extinct.

Dhirubhai Ambani is dead but he lives through his wealth.Gandhiji is no more but he is more powerful through his ideas. Narrowing and lowering the quality of a debate and discourse by laying down ridiculous criteria for determing if language is dead or alive is a cynical exercise. When one billion plus souls are supposed to sing the national anthem which nothing but a modified Sanskritized form of a composition. When another masterpiece 'Vandemataram' gave a subjugated people the mantra of freedom and never fails to inspire,to claim it is not spoken in the figurative sense is downright misleading.

well i am not against any language, for me the only thing matters is what the other person to whom i am taking with, is he/she understanding or not .

rambabu wrote:If Sanskrit is extinct, Why so many Magazines are in circulation today ? Why Sahitya Academy, India's National Academy of letters gives an Award every year to writers in Sanskrit language since 1967 ? Why a Sanskrit News Bulletin is broadcast everyday from Doordarshan ? It's a fallacy to think that Sanskrit is extinct.

It cannot be disputed that Sanskrit is not in popular use. Hence this is extinct. A few scholars will always use any language. That way no language- Pali, Prakrit, Hebrew- may be called dead.  Often we find the extinct things in museum. The magazines described by you and other related things like sahiytya academy awards do not in any sense make Sanskrit a living language. Obviously Sanskrit is not used by public. The only use is for religious rituals or for scholars studying ancient knowledge.       

 

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

rambabu wrote:If Sanskrit is extinct, Why so many Magazines are in circulation today ? Why Sahitya Academy, India's National Academy of letters gives an Award every year to writers in Sanskrit language since 1967 ? Why a Sanskrit News Bulletin is broadcast everyday from Doordarshan ? It's a fallacy to think that Sanskrit is extinct.

It cannot be disputed that Sanskrit is not in popular use. Hence this is extinct. A few scholars will always use any language. That way no language- Pali, Prakrit, Hebrew- may be called dead.  Often we find the extinct things in museum. The magazines described by you and other related things like sahiytya academy awards do not in any sense make Sanskrit a living language. Obviously Sanskrit is not used by public. The only use is for religious rituals or for scholars studying ancient knowledge.  

Sir with all due apologies, I'd like  to ask you a question. If Sanskrit is extinct, What for these   Sanskrit publications and News channels  are there ? Is it not a waste of time and money ? Is it not a waste of money which is being spent towards their salaries and news print ?

 

 

The very fact that it is in use , whether it is in rituals or by scholars, it is very much around as a language and used by some on a daily basis ! There is a also a Sanskrit news report in DD channel ! The present government wants to revive Sanskrit which is a very positive step but the opposition and Congress sympathisers see saffron even there ! 

usha manohar wrote:

The very fact that it is in use , whether it is in rituals or by scholars, it is very much around as a language and used by some on a daily basis ! There is a also a Sanskrit news report in DD channel ! The present government wants to revive Sanskrit which is a very positive step but the opposition and Congress sympathisers see saffron even there ! 

Some people will ignore all the facts and evidences and keep claiming that it is a dead language in spite of it being very much in use. No matter what, they will keep claiming that it has no use other than for performing marriage and death rituals. My maternal aunt and her husband both are Sanskrit scholars and travel around the world to present their papers every six months and it is from their account that I know for a fact that Sanskrit is the number one language that is being studied in Germany and is growing in popularity in other European Nations too. In India too, in cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Chennai It is widely studied and researched. In spite of such evidences, why do people keep harping on it being 'dead' is quite beyond my understanding!

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

The very fact that it is in use , whether it is in rituals or by scholars, it is very much around as a language and used by some on a daily basis ! There is a also a Sanskrit news report in DD channel ! The present government wants to revive Sanskrit which is a very positive step but the opposition and Congress sympathisers see saffron even there ! 

Some people will ignore all the facts and evidences and keep claiming that it is a dead language in spite of it being very much in use. No matter what, they will keep claiming that it has no use other than for performing marriage and death rituals. My maternal aunt and her husband both are Sanskrit scholars and travel around the world to present their papers every six months and it is from their account that I know for a fact that Sanskrit is the number one language that is being studied in Germany and is growing in popularity in other European Nations too. In India too, in cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Chennai It is widely studied and researched. In spite of such evidences, why do people keep harping on it being 'dead' is quite beyond my understanding!

Sanskrit is know as language of Hindus, it is only reason that some peoples saying that Sanskrit is dead language. It is good news that western countries are accepting Sanskrit. We Indian like to follow western countries. It may be possible that we will start praising it because western countries doing it. I read some where that Vedas which belongs to us was protect and conserve by Germany.

 

anil wrote:

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

The very fact that it is in use , whether it is in rituals or by scholars, it is very much around as a language and used by some on a daily basis ! There is a also a Sanskrit news report in DD channel ! The present government wants to revive Sanskrit which is a very positive step but the opposition and Congress sympathisers see saffron even there ! 

Some people will ignore all the facts and evidences and keep claiming that it is a dead language in spite of it being very much in use. No matter what, they will keep claiming that it has no use other than for performing marriage and death rituals. My maternal aunt and her husband both are Sanskrit scholars and travel around the world to present their papers every six months and it is from their account that I know for a fact that Sanskrit is the number one language that is being studied in Germany and is growing in popularity in other European Nations too. In India too, in cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Chennai It is widely studied and researched. In spite of such evidences, why do people keep harping on it being 'dead' is quite beyond my understanding!

Sanskrit is know as language of Hindus, it is only reason that some peoples saying that Sanskrit is dead language. It is good news that western countries are accepting Sanskrit. We Indian like to follow western countries. It may be possible that we will start praising it because western countries doing it. I read some where that Vedas which belongs to us was protect and conserve by Germany.

 

True Anil...it is a very sad and disturbing fact that things that are marked by our ancient tradition and culture are termed today by so-called intellectuals to be either 'saffron' in colour or obsolete and outdated. The same thing happened with Yoga, which when was taken up by Westerners and proclaimed to be the best thing to have happened to them, only then its importance was understood by Indians. Same now goes for Sanskrit. And because congress's sole agenda is to please and bow before only the certain community, anything that has to do with ancient Indian culture, will be proclaimed as nonsense and all the other terms we are already reading in this thread!

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

anil wrote:

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

The very fact that it is in use , whether it is in rituals or by scholars, it is very much around as a language and used by some on a daily basis ! There is a also a Sanskrit news report in DD channel ! The present government wants to revive Sanskrit which is a very positive step but the opposition and Congress sympathisers see saffron even there ! 

Some people will ignore all the facts and evidences and keep claiming that it is a dead language in spite of it being very much in use. No matter what, they will keep claiming that it has no use other than for performing marriage and death rituals. My maternal aunt and her husband both are Sanskrit scholars and travel around the world to present their papers every six months and it is from their account that I know for a fact that Sanskrit is the number one language that is being studied in Germany and is growing in popularity in other European Nations too. In India too, in cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Chennai It is widely studied and researched. In spite of such evidences, why do people keep harping on it being 'dead' is quite beyond my understanding!

Sanskrit is know as language of Hindus, it is only reason that some peoples saying that Sanskrit is dead language. It is good news that western countries are accepting Sanskrit. We Indian like to follow western countries. It may be possible that we will start praising it because western countries doing it. I read some where that Vedas which belongs to us was protect and conserve by Germany.

 

True Anil...it is a very sad and disturbing fact that things that are marked by our ancient tradition and culture are termed today by so-called intellectuals to be either 'saffron' in colour or obsolete and outdated. The same thing happened with Yoga, which when was taken up by Westerners and proclaimed to be the best thing to have happened to them, only then its importance was understood by Indians. Same now goes for Sanskrit. And because congress's sole agenda is to please and bow before only the certain community, anything that has to do with ancient Indian culture, will be proclaimed as nonsense and all the other terms we are already reading in this thread!

Community other than Hindus came here after 7 and 8 century. It is question that Congress and other parties are opposing every things which are associated with Hindus, where we and our language and tradition and culture to go. We have not right to talk about these in our country.

 

More importantly all schools have Sanskrit as a language of study, my children studies Sanskrit as their second language while at school and it is being taught in my school until the junior college levels as a second language option, and when this is something that has been in practice for years in almost all government and private schools how can this language be called extinct or dead ? And now why is it being made an issue , goes to show the mindset of some people who see saffron everywhere ..

usha manohar wrote:

More importantly all schools have Sanskrit as a language of study, my children studies Sanskrit as their second language while at school and it is being taught in my school until the junior college levels as a second language option, and when this is something that has been in practice for years in almost all government and private schools how can this language be called extinct or dead ? And now why is it being made an issue , goes to show the mindset of some people who see saffron everywhere ..

All languages of the world are good one. Every language have its own quality and flavour. It is not good to associate any language with religion. 

 

anil wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

More importantly all schools have Sanskrit as a language of study, my children studies Sanskrit as their second language while at school and it is being taught in my school until the junior college levels as a second language option, and when this is something that has been in practice for years in almost all government and private schools how can this language be called extinct or dead ? And now why is it being made an issue , goes to show the mindset of some people who see saffron everywhere ..

All languages of the world are good one. Every language have its own quality and flavour. It is not good to associate any language with religion.

Yes. Language is meant for communicating with each other. Language unites. Never divides.