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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Sanskrit Village in Muslim dominated district of Assam

AI generated image Mumbai: Samskrit Bharati, an organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has planned to develop the country’s third Sanskit Village in Muslim dominated Karimganj district of Assam. The organisation has already developed two Sanskit Villages in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. “Samskrit Village is a place where every villager irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, social and financial status or educational background converses in Sanskrit,” said...

Sanskrit Village in Muslim dominated district of Assam

AI generated image Mumbai: Samskrit Bharati, an organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has planned to develop the country’s third Sanskit Village in Muslim dominated Karimganj district of Assam. The organisation has already developed two Sanskit Villages in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. “Samskrit Village is a place where every villager irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, social and financial status or educational background converses in Sanskrit,” said Shrish Deopujari, the All India Communication Chief of Samskrit Bharati in an exclusive interview to ‘The Perfect Voice’. “There are several misconceptions that are hurdles in popularisation of Sanskrit,” Deopujari said. “We are trying to do away with such misconceptions,” he said. Deopujari said that Samskrit Bharati has developed two Sanskrit Villages in Mutturu in Shivmoga district of Karnataka and Jhiri in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. “A third is being developed in Karimganj district of Assam where majority population is Muslim,” he said. In Jhiri majority population comprise of SC and OBC communities. “I know a Muslim family in Vijapur that runs one of the biggest cloth stores of the city. Their shop has over a 100 employees. The owners came in contact with Samskrit Bharati and decided to run the shop in Sanskrit language. Over 60 per cent of their employees are Muslims. People now wonder when they see hijab-clad young girls in the shop converse in fluent Sanskrit. This has even given the shop a distinct identity and a great popularity also,” Deopujari said. New Initiatives He denied that all efforts of Sanskri popularisation are centred around academic activities. “It appears so since majority of our activities involve learning and teaching. But there are many things that are being done,” he said. In Gujarat there are several places where traditional Garba is centred around Sanskrit songs. In Assam a group has composed Sanskrit songs that are suitable for Bihu dance. Similar efforts are also undertaken with respect to Rajasthani folk music and tribal music at several places. During recent visit of PM Narendra Modi to Russia a pop singer presented rendition of Atharvasheersh before him. A beetal group in London had translated all his songs to Sanskrit and their Sanskrit programs too are very popular. A famous pop singer Gabriella Burnella too presents songs in Sanskrit. She had learnt Sanskrit since she was four and later persuaded a doctorate in Sanskrit from the Oxford University. The point is all ways and means are being tried to popularise Sanskrit. In fact our moto is to ensure and encourage practical use of Sanskrit in whichever way possible and free the language from the perception that it is only meant for scholarly pursuits. Sanskrit Revival Founded in 1981, Samskrit Bharati is a movement for the continuing protection, development and propagation of the Sanskrit language as well as the literature, tradition and the knowledge systems embedded in it. “Samskrit Bharati’s mission is reviving the language, rejuvenating the culture and rebuilding a nation that is Bharat!” Deopujari said. He said that the way to achieve this is to teach everybody speak Sanskrit. While making efforts to teach everybody, regardless of caste, creed, educational background, gender, financial position, etc. speak Sanskrit, the other set of efforts is aimed at making Sanskrit a link language for all Indians. “Sanskrit is not only accepted but also respected throughout the country. If Sanskrit is introduced in homes, it will impart sanskars to the entire family which is a primary need of the present day. This is all about transforming Sanskrit into a Jana Bhasha or people’s language,” he said.

Welcome the New Year with Open Arms

The end of one calendar year and the beginning of another invite us to reflect on the journey behind us and welcome the New Year with gratitude and inner peace.

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As the calendar quietly turns its final pages, we arrive at that tender, reflective space between what has been and what is yet to come. The year is drawing to a close, not with noise alone, but with meaning and quiet introspection. It is a moment that invites us to pause, to breathe deeply, and to acknowledge the journey we have travelled over the past twelve months, with all its lessons, efforts, and emotions. Every ending, after all, carries within it the promise of a new beginning, reminding us that closure is not an end but a transition into possibility.


The closing of a year is not merely a change of dates. It is a symbolic threshold, a pause between what has been lived and what is yet to unfold. Behind us lie days filled with effort and learning, challenges and joys, disappointments and small victories, silent struggles, and moments that will remain unforgettable. Ahead of us stretches a fresh, unwritten chapter, clean pages waiting patiently for new stories to be written, new dreams to be imagined, and renewed hope to take root.


Let us welcome the New Year with open arms, embracing it with openness and intention. Not hesitantly, not fearfully, but wholeheartedly and with quiet confidence. Let us greet it with happiness, not the fleeting kind dependent on circumstances or external rewards, but the deeper happiness that grows from acceptance, gratitude, and inner peace. Let us consciously invite positivity into our lives, understanding that positivity is not the absence of problems but the presence of strength, faith, and clarity even when challenges arise.


As we step forward, let us consciously choose to leave behind the bitterness of the past year. The misunderstandings, the regrets, and the moments of anger or sadness were teachers, not punishments. They came to shape us, to refine our understanding, and to help us grow wiser, stronger, and more compassionate. There is no need to carry their weight into the future or allow them to cloud what lies ahead. What no longer serves our peace, growth, or well-being deserves a gentle and respectful farewell.


This does not mean forgetting the past. On the contrary, it means honouring it with honesty and gratitude. Let us cherish all the memories of the previous year, the laughter shared with loved ones, the quiet moments of self-discovery, the goals achieved through perseverance, and even the failures that taught us resilience and humility. Each memory, whether pleasant or painful, has played a role in shaping who we are today and how we see the world. They are threads in the fabric of our life story, woven together by time and experience, and each one truly matters.


The New Year brings with it a quiet yet powerful sense of renewal. It whispers possibilities and opens the door to fresh beginnings. It encourages us to believe again, to try again despite past setbacks, and to dream again with renewed faith. It invites us to set intentions, not merely resolutions written in haste, but thoughtful and meaningful commitments to ourselves. Commitments to grow steadily, to learn continuously, to be kinder in our words and actions, to work sincerely toward our goals, and to live more consciously each day.


Let us move forward with hope in our hearts and faith guiding our steps. Let us trust that even if the path ahead is not always smooth or predictable, we have the inner strength and resilience to walk it with grace. Let us consciously choose patience over haste, gratitude over complaint, and compassion over judgement in our daily lives. And let us make room for beautiful things, beautiful thoughts, beautiful habits, beautiful relationships, and meaningful experiences that enrich our lives and uplift our spirit.


May the coming year be one of balance and clarity, guiding us toward a more mindful way of living. May it bring peace to the mind, warmth to the heart, and a deeper sense of purpose to our actions and choices. May we learn to celebrate small joys, respect our own pace, and honour our inner values as we move through each day. May we become not just more successful in what we do, but more fulfilled in who we are.


As the old year gently takes its leave, let us bow to it with gratitude. And as the New Year arrives, let us step forward with courage, positivity, and open hearts, ready to embrace all that life has in store.


Happy New Year to you.

 

(The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)


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