Mathur: Amid dwindling patronage for Sanskrit in India, a village in Karnataka has shouldered the noble objective of preserving the ancient language which is considered the 'mother of all tongues'. In Mathur village located along the banks of the Tunga river in Shivamogga district, everyone speaks Sanskrit and has undisputed scholarship of the language. Sanskrit is taught compulsorily in schools from LKG to 10th standard in Mathur.
Children from neighbouring villages and other cities also come to Mathur to learn Sanskrit for free. The villagers also teach the language online to Indians abroad. That is why Sanskrit is the living language here. Locals here insist that if one is interested, he or she can learn Sanskrit in just fifteen to twenty days.
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But the golden rule is that one should speak in Sanskrit all through. The love for Sanskrit in Mathur dates back to forty years ago when a voluntary organization called Sanskrit Bharati organized a ten-day workshop in the village. That is when the villagers became interested in the language. They decided to learn Sanskrit and speak only in Sanskrit regardless of caste and religion.
Besides, showing the way in the preservation of Sanskrit, the locals in Mathur are also known for their hospitality. There is not a single hotel in Mathur. There is no restaurant and a guest house either. The villagers accommodate guests from other places who come to learn Sanskrit in their homes. They also take care of the meal arrangements themselves.
Even those who were born in Mathur and are now settled abroad. Locals tell outsiders to definitely visit the village at least once a year. Sanskrit is called the mother of Indian languages. Because many languages are influenced by Sanskrit. For example, the word man in English is derived from the Sanskrit 'mannu'. It is said that the words Shampoo came from champu, and gas from grass.
