Sanskrit University to celebrate 100 years of existence

Alive Sanskrit Culture in Kerala.

An erstwhile Sanskrit college, which was started by a uncommon and unbiased Christian teacher in protestant nature  in 1909, will be celebrating its 100 years of existence on February 21.

The Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit college at Pavaratty was started by P.T. Kuriyakose when it was taboo for non Brahmins to learn Sanskrit. In 1979, it was upgraded as a deemed University under the HRD Ministry and is now known as Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan Deemed University, Guruvayur Campus.

General Convener of the centenary celebration committee, P.G. Sreenivasan told reporters here that the three-day celebrations would be held at Pavaratty and the deemed University campus at nearby Puranattukara.

Despite opposition from various sections including the Church, Kuriakose developed the college to a full-fledged educational institution of repute and got it affiliated to the Madras University, he said.

The three-day long centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, formerly Pavaratty Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College, founded by late P T Kuriakose Master in 1909, would begin here on February 21.

In a statement here, Sanskrit Sansthan protection committee President Thomas Pavaratty said the union government had granted Rs 3 lakh for the purpose.

Kuriakose Master had donated the College and the campus together with buildings costing crores of rupees to the union government to establish as a full-fledged Sanskrit learning center. The college was affiliated to the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan as its sixth centre in 1979.

Though the Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College began on a small scale, it was later affiliated to the Madras University. Master had fostered the college facing opposition from all corners including the Church as it was a taboo then for non-Brahmins to learn Sanskrit and read Sanskrit literature.

Sanskrit scholars and writers who were former student of the college would offer floral tributes at the tomb of the Master at the Pavaratty St Joseph’s shrine on February 23, the 25th death anniversary of the Master, marking the conclusion of the centenary celebration, the statement said.

The celebrations would be held at the campuses of the Sansthan at Pavaratty and Puranattukara, now under the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development.  nPTI.

Srimantha Arya (srimanthan@yahoo.com) sent this interesting piece of Sanskrit trend of culture in the land of another communist.