Note: This article was published in 2011
An unforgettable weekend spoken Samskritam immersion experience is what Jaahnavii 2010 was all about. Jaahnavii is an epithet for the sacred river Ganges, and is a befitting name for a camp that seeks to spur the flow of a venerated language like Samskritam.
Camp Jaahnavii was not about passive learning in a classroom setting listening intently to rules of syntax as spelled out by a teacher or figuring out noun declensions by meaningless rote memorization. Instead at Camp Jaahnavii, participants were empowered to be active speakers from the first hour! They learned by listening, speaking, observing, and critical thinking. Learning was not limited to a location or time at camp but was evident throughout the camp experience. Whether at registration, cabin location, dining hall, yoga class, evening games, or entertainment program – the opportunities to engage in Samskritam were endless.
Samskritam was not taught using another language as a medium. Instead, Samskritam was taught by speaking Samskritam itself. Therefore, the need to translate or back-translate was completely eliminated. Instead, by judicious display of o bjects, images, actions, emotions, role play, debates, participants began relating to the language directly. As a consequence, understanding and speaking Samskritam became intuitive. Even the most diffident of new participants was seen constructing simple Samskritam sentences with ease and confidence by the first day. Though beginners were a major group at camp, there were groups for participants at the intermediate and advanced levels too. Besides the intricacies of more detailed grammar, they delved into a variety of topics including Sanskrit literature, drama, contemporary issues, etc. This camp attracted individuals of all ages and diverse backgrounds who shared Samskritam as a common interest. About 150 participants from locations even as far as California, Texas, and Canada converged at Camp Louemma in Sussex, NJ over Labor day weekend (September 3rd to September 6th) to pursue their passion for Samskritam. These Samskritam aficionados provided momentum to Samskrita Bharati’s advocacy efforts to popularize Samskritam. A non-profit organization, Samskrita Bharati has been zealously working to rejuvenate Samskritam as a spoken language. Annual camps, weekend workshops, distance learning, SAFL (Sanskrit as a foreign language) program for high school students are just some of the many diverse approaches taken to propagate the use of Samskritam. Jaahavii 2010 was the eighth annual east coast family camp organized by Samskrita Bharati in the United States. Gauging by the participant interest and success of this camp, it is crystal clear that like the river Ganges in India, Jaahnavii will be flowing for a long time in the United States, attracting people from all walks of life. For further information about Samskrita Bharati, visit http://www.samskritabharati.org/
