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World Sanskrit Day 2022

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Miscellaneous
  • Published
    13th Aug, 2022

Context

World Sanskrit Day is celebrated on SawanPoornima in the Hindu calendar. As per the calendar, August 12 marks the occasion.

  • World Sanskrit Day honours the Sanskrit language and promotes its global acceptance. 

The language profile

  • Sanskrit is one of the earliest written languages in the world. 
  • It was used to compose the Vedas and other Hindu religious texts. 
  • Evolved from Proto-Indo-European dialects, Sanskrit has a special place in Indian history. 
  • Many languages in India have been derived from Sanskrit.
  • This day is observed annually on the day known as Poornima in the Shravana month, as per the Hindu calendar which also corresponds to the sacred festival of RakshaBandhan.

History

  • Sanskrit is a thousand-year-old Indo-Aryan language. 
    • Sir William Jones, a British orientalist and jurist, stated that Sanskrit is a better and more exciting language than Latin or Greek.
  • Scholars throughout India have used and appreciated the language. 
    • Even in Germany, Sanskrit is still an important form of communication.
  • To teach new generations about the ancient Indian language, the Indian government decided to celebrate Sanskrit Diwas on RakshaBandhan Day in 1969. 
  • The event honours the beginning of the Sanskrit language and calls on people to continue using it.
  • Sanskrit being the oldest language is significant in its authentic ways-
    • It is the language of ancient scholars like Valmiki, Aryabhatta, Kalidasa, Veda Vyas etc.
    • Being a rural Indian language, Sanskrit never left its roots in rural India.
    • Sanskrit crossed the borders of Vietnam and Cambodia and its way through people’s hearts.
    • The people of Uttarakhand have accepted and acknowledged Sanskrit as their official language.

World Sanskrit Day Significance

  • The main goal of this day was to encourage the use of the Sanskrit language outside traditional puja mandaps — in casual conversation. 
  • Additionally, Sanskrit Day is observed to raise awareness about it. 
  • It captures the depth of Indian culture and has existed for centuries through folktales and stories.

Verifying, please be patient.

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