This article appeared in Lokavani.

In a woody, scenic campsite overlooking a lake in East Otis, MA, nearly eighty people from all over the country came for the second national-level Samskritam camp held in America by the non-profit organization Samskrita Bharati. The five day camp, named Paavinii, and carried out in the traditional style of a gurukulam, was dedicated to teaching all participants of all ages and backgrounds how to speak Samskritam, and from arrival Samskritam was the means of communication. The entire camp was conducted in Samskritam, and still the dedicated staff of Samskrita Bharati made sure no one was left out. In fact, it was this immersive strategy that had everyone speaking Samskritam right from the start, and the camp’s presiding motto of “Speak Samskrit, not About Samskrit” was realized throughout the five days.

The day started at 5:45 with morning meditation, and was followed by traditional Indian Yoga. By eight o’clock breakfast was served (all meals were Indian vegetarian dishes), and the first hour-long Samskritam class started by nine o’clock. Classes were divided according to prior knowledge of Samskritam; those who did not know any Indian languages and had no prior knowledge in Samskritam were placed in the beginner class. One of the two intermediate classes were for those who had the knowledge of some Indian language and therefore some background in Samskritam, and the second one was for those who had attended Samskritam camps or classes before. There was, in addition, an advanced class for those who were already proficient in Samskritam.

Kids were placed in a class of their own, and all classes were taught by excellent teachers who were trained in the communicative teaching method employed by Samskrita Bharati, a most effective way of teaching language. In this method, speaking and listening take precedence over grammar and semantics, and it is because of this that even novices begin speaking full, correct sentences in Samskritam by the end of the first class! Three classes were held in the morning before lunch, with 15-30 minute breaks between classes. After lunch another two afternoon classes were held before a tea break, after which evening activities were conducted. Throughout the day the teachers and staff of Samskrita Bharati interacted and mingled with the participants creating a family-like environment.

All the participants from all class levels got together in the evening and participated in such activities as Kriidaa (games), Bhajans, and discourses. Entertainment, also in Samskritam, was after dinner and consisted of plays and other performances by the participants and the staff. The games played were traditional Indian games, many of which involved developing memory and cognitive skills. Bhajans were held before the discourse, and was a spontaneous occasion where people came forward and sang devotional songs, accompanied by those who had brought their mridungam and tabala (classical Indian drums), and other instruments. The discourses were given by Sri Krishna Shastry, one of the founders of Samskrita Bharati movement, and discussed various aspects of Indian culture, history, Samskritam, and philosophy in general. Sri Krishna Shastry’s immense energy and dedication, which fueled the founding and growth of Samskrita Bharati, diffuses into all those around him, and in listening to him speak, it becomes clear that he inspires his staff and the participants. He had a genuine concern for all those present, and his passion for Samskritam and the Indian traditions charged the entire camp and contributed significantly to the positive atmosphere.

Throughout the five days there was immense energy and enthusiasm instilled in all those present through all the activities, from the classes to the discourses to the games. During all of these activities, all presided over in Samskritam, a bond developed among the participants. The skits, songs, and other performances, all in Samskritam of course, often ran longer than planned, since all participants, especially the kids, were eager and willing to contribute. It was not a surprise that by bedtime at 10:00, Samskritam could still be heard being spoken, as everyone was unwilling to end the day. By the end of the camp, despite cold nights in the cabins and inclement weather, everyone was sad to go. As one person from the beginner class expressed, it was as if another family was gained, and many echoed similar sentiments during the concluding ceremonies, where people were given the chance to share their feelings regarding the camp. It was a positive experience all round, made possible by Samskrita Bharati’s efficiency and dedication to the Samskritam language and culture.

Anyone, regardless of nationality or belief, who is remotely interested in Samskritam as a language or Indian culture in general, would do well to attend these residential camps. It is an opportunity to live the traditional vedantic lifestyle, and to immerse oneself in the Samskritam language that is the cornerstone of the vast Indian tradition. And certainly the greatest testament to Samskrita Bharati’s success with this camp is that every single person came away being able to understand and speak Samskritam like they had never been able to before, and for all it was a rejuvenating cultural and spiritual experience. For more information on Samskrita Bharati and its activities, contact Govinda Yelagalawadi at 408-871-0351 or Giridharan Bharathan at 978-362-1715 or visit http://www.samskritabharatiusa.org.

Press report by Phalgun S. Prativadi, Gaithersburg, MD

Alakananda Samskrita Shibiram was held at Coloma, along the American River north of Sacramento, California, from July 1 to 9, 2000. Eighty-one adults and children spent their time immersed in Samskrit in Alakananda Samskrita Shibiram. Students, aged five to 69, came from seventeen states, Canada and Bharat, while their instructors came from California, Connecticut and Bharat. Classes were held for four groups children under 14, beginners without knowledge of any Indian language, beginners (and advanced beginners) with knowledge of an Indian language and more advanced Samskrit students. (The name Samskrit is derived from two words and literally means "well-done.") The attendees included many Ph.D.s, several medical doctors, two Ayurvedic doctors, a nurse, computer professionals, teachers, a lawyer, housewives, and students.

The idea was to "Speak Samskrit not about Samskrit." Sri Krishna Shastry, the person behind the "Speak Samskrit" movement in India which has taught conversational Samskrit to tens of thousands of men, women, and children, stated at the end of the Shibiram (camp) that his "expectations were more than met." He was specifically impressed by the commitment of the vast majority of the campers to continue the study of Samskrit beyond the camp period. The organization has correspondence courses and many students will also continue their study with study groups in their own communities. It will publish a 2-CD-ROM set for Samskrit instruction later this year.

The days began at 5:30 a.m. with the wake-up call in Samskrit and did not end until after 10 p.m. Each group had five 60-minute classes per day. In addition there were yoga classes taught in Samskrit, games to develop better memory and alertness, and bhajans. Evening programs, including shlokas, original humorous skits, and geets were presented in Samskrit by children, teenagers and adult campers. Hindu vegetarian food was catered and served buffet-style by the participants. Campers also used their "free time" studying, writing and practicing skits and participating in informal discussions, often in Samskrit. Thursday morning, campers took a two-mile hike and had breakfast and morning classes under the trees in a nearby park. The outstanding teachers included Sri Janardan Hegde who teaches throughout Bharat with Samskrit Bharati, Dr. Sarasvati Mohan of Sanskrit Academy, Smt. Jyoti Rao who worked with children, and Sri Vasuvaj, a full-time volunteer worker for Samskrita Bharati who has been teaching conversational Samskrit throughout the USA, mainly in one-day to five-day introductory courses, for more than a year.

A special feature of the camp was the participation of fifteen children under age 14. Their teachers taught them simple Samskrit conversation and Hindu dharma, using games and crafts. Although most of the children had not wanted to attend camp, by the end of the camp they were very happy to be able speak and understand enough for simple conversations and even to compose and perform skits in Samskrit. Tears were in the eyes of the children as they left their new friends at the end of the camp.

In addition to teaching Samskrit, the goal of the Samskrit Bharati, a non-profit voluntary organization, was to teach Indian culture. A further aim, for the advanced students, was to enable them teach effectively in their own communities. At the same time the organizer's goals were being met, participants also were beginning to meet some of their own objectives. Ms. Karuna Goleria, a young lawyer, came to camp knowing no one but wanting to learn Samskrit in order to read Samskrit literature without relying on translation, as well as to work on U.S. patents of Ayurvedic medicines. Sri Stanley Berley, an Indian American whose parents are Catholic, wants to read the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma in their original language. Sri Shivakumar Varma and his wife Smt. Susan Barr, Ayurvedic doctors, plan to include Samskrit as a workshop topic, complementing their clinical practice in Vancouver, BC. Although Sri S. K. Hussain works in a small computer firm in the Silicon Valley, he has a four-year plan to continue to study medical sciences, including Ayurveda, and establish a hospital to serve the people of his village in Bharat. He considers knowledge of Samskrit essential for his studies. Smt. Shanta Viswanathan who teaches Sanskrit and Sanskrit religious scriptures at the Hindu temple in Troy, Michigan, plans to include conversational Samskrit as part of her courses. Others plan to teach after further study of the language. At the end of the camp many of the participants stated that they had learned more in the nine-day period than in two (or more) years of academic study of Samskrit that focused on reading and writing, not on speaking.

Due to their commitment to provide instruction for all who were interested in learning Samskrit, the organizers requested Dr. Jayashree Srinivas, who was originally to teach more advanced students, to teach a class exclusively for those who did not have the "passive knowledge" of Samskrit that the other adult participants enjoyed. The flexibility of her teaching as well as her great love of Sanskrit provided the very serious participants with a good background to continue their studies.

A group of volunteers, mainly from the San Jose area of California, has been planning this camp for nearly a year and a half, with concentrated effort during the last two months, resulting in a very organized camp, meeting the varying needs of the participants.

Due to the success of this camp, the first nine-day residential camp held outside of India, it is expected that another such camp will be held in North America next summer. Many of the 81 campers will be likely to return for a second camp due to their enthusiasm and interest in learning Samskrit.

Press release prepared by Beth Kulkarni, Houston, TX.

 This article appeared in Lokavani.

Raghunath Veraballi
02//0528

A three-day residential Sanskrit learning camp was conducted from April 26th through April 28th at Saraswathi Mandiram, Green Pastures Estate, a serene location at Epping, NH. About 60 people, men women and children of various age from various walks of life and from as far south as Florida to as far west as California attended the camp with a fervor to learn the language. The aim of the camp was to teach people to speak in Sanskrit. Appropriately named as Gangotri, this camp is the first of its kind with more such camps at other locations to follow.

The organizers were considerate to have different class levels for people with varying levels of knowledge in Sanskrit. An advanced class for those with a good knowledge of Sanskrit, an intermediate class, a beginners class and childrens class were the four levels offered at the camp.

A typical day at the camp started at 6:00 in the morning with Yoga and meditation. Classes started from 8:30 AM and went until 12:30 PM with small breaks in between. After lunch the classes again would start from 2:30 PM and go until 5:00 PM. After refreshments, physical games would be conducted for people to stretch. There were Bhajans( Devotional Songs ) in the evening by camp participants followed by night dinner. After dinner everyday, there would be Manoranjan( rereactional ) activities that consisted of skits, plays and songs only in sanskrit organized by the participants themselves.

A number of local speakers spoke on the occasion to motivate the learners. Dr. Suresh Jain, Senior Scientist and Research Director of Millenium Pharmaceuticals gave the inaugural address. According to him Sanskrit is a medium to better know our Samskriti( Heritage ). On the closing ceremony, Dr. Satya Prakash Saraswat, Professor, Department of Computer Information Systems, Bentley College briefly spoke about how the little Sanskrit he learnt in his childhood has stimulated him to do more research on it in his later years. Dr. H.R. Vijayakumar, a physician in the Greater Boston area also gave a presentation. He is the treasurer of Chinmaya Mission in Boston.

The participants very much liked the idea of a Speak Sanskrit camp and were glad to have made use of this unique opportunity. Gangotri Shibiram (camp) is a very good experience. This is my first Sanskrit Camp and I got a head start with Sanskrit. Among other things, seeing the enthusiasm of people of all ages was very encouraging. Seeing a 6-year-old kid in the camp converse fluently in Sanskrit was very motivational. The camp has given a nice boost to all beginners like myself that Sanskrit is not a completely new language to learn, rather it is within all of us, hidden in some form or the other. With such efforts of dedicated volunteers, being able to have day to day conversation in Sanskrit should not be very difficult at all, says Vikrant Shah from Washington, DC.

Shanthi Muthu from Rhode Island speaks to her 6 year old Pavitra only in Sanskrit. She also taught the childrens class in the camp. This is what she had to say: I was happy that the children were exposed to lot of spoken Sanskrit. I was also happy about all the participants' enthusiasm in the nightly entertainment program. I met some wonderful people in the camp, whose relationship I hope to continue.

Sri Vasuvaj, the International Coordinator and US Program Director for Samskrita Bharati is one of the 180 full time volunteers helping the cause of spreading Sanskrit in the western side of the world. In his busy schedule he tours various countries like USA, Canada, the Caribbean and other South American countries and conducts such camps and other activities that further the spread of Sanskrit.

Through its 'Speak Sanskrit' classes and other activities, Samskrita Bharati has initiated tens of hundreds of Sanskrit enthusiasts all across the US. Dr. Govinda Rao, the USA co-coordinator for Samskrita Bharati, flew all the way from San Jose, California to encourage and teach the participants. He is one of the major supporting pillars of Samskrita Bharati in the US. According to him, The unsurpassing wisdom of our sages is hidden in great scriptures. Sanskrit is the key to this priceless heritage. Samskrita Bharati invites you to unearth the treasure.

Samskrita Bharati USA plans to conduct three-day residential camps near major metropolitan cities this year following the Gangotri example. People with an interest to organize such camps in their locality are encouraged to contact:

Details

Written by Vijaya Viswanathan

My family has embarked on a path that may be new to Indian-American families but is quite familiar to the American education system - Homeschooling or “gRuha-pAThashAlA” as we would like to call it.   Many people homeschool for various reasons including (but not limited to) the pursuit of a religious education, a classical education, or a special education. Simply, it allows a child to pursue certain interests that his/her school may not provide. My two children are currently in elementary school. Since homeschooling affords freedom and flexibility, we have taken the opportunity to delve into Samskritam and embellish the basic curriculum of science, math, and the arts.  Samskritam is studied at least 3 times a week, covering the spoken language, grammatical theory, and the unique script. There are enormous benefits of a long term study of a classical language, and we have already experienced some immediate advantages.

Even being in the fourth and second grade, both children can already read the devanagiri script fairly well. This has been enormously useful for them when they chant everyday, helping them to learn the correct intonation and fluctuations of the phrases. Learning, chanting, and eventually memorizing the great works of the Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu Sahasranamam, etc. are slightly easier because of their ability to read the text in its original form.  Their study in Sambhashanam (conversational samskritam) has helped to allay the common fear of Samskritam being a difficult and “unapproachable” language.  Many carry the wrong notion that it takes tremendous efforts to learn even the basics of Samskritam, a task that is seen  as so difficult that some do not even make the attempt. Conversational Samskritam taught by Samskrita Bharati helps one get familiar with the richness of the language without the intimidation. The ease with which my sons speak Samskritam, after barely two years of studying the language, prove testament to the organization’s methods.

Surprisingly, the study of Samskritam grammar has also improved their understanding of English grammar.  When studying a new passage, they analyze word and sentence structure, automatically comparing it to the English language to try to find similarities or differences between the two languages; the precision Samskritam teaches has helped to analytically and systematically evaluate literature. These are important skills that are applicable to many other subjects are well.

Currently, my ten year old is studying "Raghuvamsha" and is able to get a glimpse of the genius of Kalidasa. He is subtly exposed to etymology, poetic meter, and the study of compound word structures.   He gets to revel in the beauty of the numerous metaphors used by the Mahakavi, thus getting a peek into one of the highest artistic and intellectual minds of all time.

Works in Samskritam have set exceedingly high standards for poetry, philosophy, literature, and drama.  They imbue the  mind with ideas of beauty, morality, and logic.  It is indeed a pity that in India we have lost the tradition of learning Samskritam during the early childhood years, especially given the vast repository of intellectual ideas that are embedded  within the language.

Samskritam imparts an intellectual discipline that is unsurpassed and the study of Samskritam will provide a solid base, teaching our children critical thinking and systematic analysis, along with the wisdom and ideals of our forefathers.

( Vijaya Viswanathan lives in Berwyn, PA and homeschools her two sons. )