Aadarsh Sanskrit Gram: How Uttarakhand plans to make Sanskrit a spoken language in over 13 villages

Dimar village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, known for its centuries-old connection to Sanskrit learning, is about to experience a linguistic revival. The Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy plans to send trainers in April to encourage locals to use Sanskrit as a spoken language, according to a TOI report.

Why Dimar?

Dimar has a rich history of Sanskrit learning. Since 1910, the village has had a Sanskrit school, primarily for religious and academic purposes. The Dimri Brahmins, who handle worship at the Badrinath temple, belong to this village. However, despite their knowledge, locals rarely use Sanskrit in everyday conversations.

In 2010, Uttarakhand became the first state to declare Sanskrit as its second official language, a step followed by Himachal Pradesh in 2019. Under the "Aadarsh Sanskrit Gram" project, one village from each of Uttarakhand's 13 districts has been chosen to promote spoken Sanskrit.

The project plan

Trainers for this initiative will be announced soon, and they will help locals use Sanskrit in daily life. The project also aims to collaborate with Sanskrit schools and colleges to ensure effective learning. Vajashrava Arya, secretary of the academy, told TOI, "Sanskrit schools and colleges in these villages will be roped in to implement the programme."

Initially, trainers were to receive a stipend of Rs 35,000 per month, but it was reduced to Rs 10,000. However, sources told TOI that Central Sanskrit University might revise it to Rs 20,000. If required, selected trainers will undergo short-term courses at training centres in Delhi and Varanasi.

Future plans

Central Sanskrit University vice-chancellor Srinivas Varakhedi shared with TOI, "If the pilot project in Uttarakhand is successful, we will expand it to other states where there is demand. Sanskrit Bharati, as an organisation, will help in execution of the project from outside."

The selected villages besides Dimar include Noorpur Panjanhedi in Haridwar, Bhogpur in Dehradun, Kotgaon in Uttarkashi, and others. The project aims to revive not just a language but a part of India's cultural heritage.

Inputs from TOI