Why Sanskrit Shouldn't Be Allowed To Lose Its Home Battle | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why Sanskrit Shouldn't Be Allowed To Lose Its Home Battle

The main job of any country is preserving the language that teaches about its tradition and culture, and India is no exception

87
Why Sanskrit Shouldn't Be Allowed To Lose Its Home Battle
sanskrit.org

Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in the world, a language considered to be that of the gods, the basic language used in majority of cultural and religious scripts in India, is sadly on the verge of disappearance in its own homeland. While languages such as Hindi use the Sanskrit alphabet (Devanagari script) and most Indian languages still maintain Sanskrit grammar structure, not many can read, write and speak the language fluently. It is spoken by less than one percent of Indians now and the only daily usage of the language is by Hindu priests for ceremonies. For a country that once boasted a majority of knowing this uniques and special language, and where it was the dominant native tongue, the position of Sanskrit now is shocking.

One reason for not many people in India learning Sanskrit is approaching Sanskrit as a tool to get a job. For those who study Sanskrit as their major subject, the only opportunities career-wise are becoming a teacher in Sanskrit schools and colleges or learn to perform religious rituals.

Another reason is the issue of breaking through regional language barriers that have developed in order to teach Sanskrit through each region's native tongue, and the barrier of fear that Sanskrit may replace regional languages and therefore displace regional traditions permanently.

There is also the reason for people not showing much interest in learning Sanskrit being the misconception that Sanskrit was only for the elite (i.e nobles, artisans, poets, etc.) and was never really for the masses. Given the country's ancient history where the majority of people knew Sanskrit then as a primary or secondary language, this is hard to take in as a valid reason. The fact that Sanskrit is not being used as widely today in the nation has (instead of getting a major revival movement) raised concern for those studying it, especially students, in that students should be prepared for the real-world and taught only courses that would be applicable to their future jobs. Isn't the main job of any country preserving its tradition and culture though? Especially the language that teaches about its tradition and culture? A school principal at Delhi puts this question into perspective very well.

Delhi's Laxman Public School principal, Usha Ram, said in an article for BBC News, that "[Sanskrit] is our mother language, the root of all our languages...All over the world people try to preserve their traditions. Why not in India?" Similarly, lots of others have spoken out about the need to preserve and teach Sanskrit as not only does it let one learn about the religious texts of India but it is the language for many non-religious texts as well (i.e. poems, plays, histories, etc.). For instance, Markandaya Katju, a retired Supreme Court Judge, says "People have a misunderstanding that it is the language of the Hindus...Ninety-five per cent of Sanskrit literature has nothing to do with religion." Sanskrit scholar Girish Jani challenges the misconception of Sanskrit as irrelevant, saying "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." But not all hope is lost for the language.

Sanskrit is the official language of the Indian state of Uttarakhand (north India) and there are still very few villages (such as Mattur, located in Karnataka, south India) in that have Sanskrit as their first or second language along with the regional language. The current party ruling the government in India has also made a move in bringing back Sanskrit to schools and encouraging people to learn the language as a necessary part of Indian culture and tradition. There are also independent Sanskrit revival movements happening in India and around the world currently, some even led by non-India based college students who have learned the language before hand.

India needs Sanskrit, the world needs Sanskrit. Without this language, entire pieces of world history are lost. More than that, actually. An entire nation, along with its people, its cultures and traditions and values all become lost. It's time more Indians take charge of their own backgrounds and heritage and start to learn the language that was once the mother tongue of their forefathers who were a part of their culture-rich motherland. It's time to not let Sanskrit lose its battle for survival in its own home.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

180115
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

7185
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

452429
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23259
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments