New Delhi: World Sanskrit Day is celebrated every year on Shraavana Poornima in the Shravan month of Hindu calendar to promote and spread awareness about ancient Indian Sanskrit language. The Day is being celebrated on August 19 on the day of Raksha Bandhan this year.
Taking to X, AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry posted, “On the occasion of World Sri Aurobindo Society, Union Territory of Puducherry presents a week-long Celebration of Sanskrit language on the theme ‘Vedic Heritage and Tradition’ from 19-25 August, 2024.”
Similarly, Nirmalmani Adhikary wrote on X, “This year the World Sanskrit Day is being celebrated on Monday, 19 August 2024, on the auspicious day of Rishitarpani according to Hindu lunar calendar. The main event will be organized at Gahanpokhari, Tangal, Kathmandu.”
Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages in the world and it is also called the mother of many modern languages. This language is known for its antiquity as well as its grammar. Sanskrit helps to do research on different subjects including Ayurveda, ancient philosophy, Yoga and Vedas for getting more and more knowledge for future progress.
In this modern world, several education institutions and centers have been promoting Sanskrit language and providing many courses for students like Sanskrit for Yoga, Ayurveda and Buddhism.
According to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage website, the Vedic language which is derived from classical Sanskrit comprises a vast corpus of Sanskrit poetry, philosophical dialogue and ritual incantations developed and composed by Aryans over 3,500 years ago.
The Vedic heritage embraces a multitude of texts and interpretations collected in four Vedas, commonly referred to as “books of knowledge” even though they have been transmitted orally. The Rig Veda is an anthology of sacred hymns, the Sama Veda features musical arrangements of hymns from the Rig Veda and other sources, the Yajur Veda abounds in prayers and sacrificial formulae used by priests, and the Atharva Veda includes incantations and spells. The Vedas also offer insight into the history of Hinduism and the early development of several artistic, scientific and philosophical concepts, such as the concept of zero, UNESCO website states.
