Five new Sanskrit villages are part of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

SHIVAMOGGA: For long, the Vedic hamlet of Mattur has enjoyed the singular distinction of being a ‘Sanskrit village’ where the ‘ deva bhasha ’ (language of the gods) is used in daily conversation. Now, Chittebail, about 74km away, will also be developed as a Sanskrit village by the Centre, in a bid to revive the classical language.

Both villages are in the verdant Shivamogga district through which the Tunga river flows. Chittebail, about 3km from Tirthahalli town, has been picked by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan alongside four other villages – Jubtara (Tripura), Masot (Himachal), Adat (Kerala) and Barai (MP) – under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. The Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Shri Rajiv Gandhi Campus in Sringeri is expected to be involved in the initiative. In reply to a question raised by Kerala MP Adoor Prakash, HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank told Lok Sabha that Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, has adopted Chittebail in Shivamogga to develop it as a Sanskrit village. Classes and workshops will be held for all villagers to enable them to converse in Sanskrit.

Mattur, which is built like an agraharam and populated largely by Sankethi Brahmins, has been using Sanskrit in everyday conversations for decades now. Students also learn the language, alongside scriptures and the Vedas, at pathshalas.

Dr Chadrakanth Bhat, associate professor and head of the department (Shiksha Shastri) of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan in Sringeri, said the institute has been carrying Sanskrit conversation camps in many places, including Chittebail village.

“In these camps, Sanskrit conversation training is provided to whoever is interested in learning the language. We are holding these camps in association with Samskrita Bharati (a non-profit organisation). It is a 25-day training camp,” he said.

