DELHI:EROS TIMES: Delhi government will organize Delhi Sanskrit Utsav- a week long festival for the promotion of Sanskrit, at the Central Park, Connaught Place in the capital.
This first of a kind festival is part of Delhi govt’s effort to contemporize and promote the language, and reach out to a wider audience.
A brainchild of Dy. Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the Minister of Art, Culture and Languages.
The festival will compromise of a range of programmers like a Rock band performance, Gidda, Qawwal, theatre, poetry etc, all in Sanskrit.
The festival will also showcase a model classroom of Vyavahrik Sanskrit Course.
Giving details about the Sanskrit Utsav, Manish Sisodia said “Delhi government is very proud to present the first Sanskrit Utsav being organised for common people.
It is important to con-temporize the language and encourage the youth to connect with the Sanskrit available around them. The literary, scientific and philosophical knowledge that has been produced and stored in the language is invaluable. Its evolution, however, is difficult because of the disconnect with present times.
The young generation can certainly benefit from learning Sanskrit because its content may still be relevant. We need to make learning Sanskrit fun through art, music etc. Our goal is beyond the tokenism of preservation.
We want to create and enable support for the growth of Sanskrit, both linguistically and intellectually. We do not want to feed on the insecurity by creating an imaginary threat for any culture.
Sisodia said that some of the highlights of the festival include an exhibition of Sanskrit documents available at the Delhi Archives, presentation of Sanskrit songs by renowned rock-fusion band Astitva, Sanskrit plays Merchakatikam and Madhadutam, a dance drama, and South Indian singer Soorya Gayatri performance of Sanskrit songs.