The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : A chance to interact in ‘Samskrit'

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A chance to interact in ‘Samskrit'

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The World Sanskrit Book Fair, to be held at the National College grounds in the city from January 7 to 10, will feature a ‘Samskrit Grama' where people manning the kiosks will converse only in Sanskrit.

The Samskrit Grama seeks to give visitors an experience of “life in a village” in a Sanskrit ambience.

Apart from stalls dealing in Sanskrit books, CDs and DVDs, the Samskrit Grama will also have a number of stalls selling vegetables and other essential commodities.

People in Samskrit Grama will speak “Samskrit” to drive home the point that conversing in the heritage language is “simple and possible”.

This was disclosed during a press conference addressed by retired judge M. Rama Jois here on Friday.

The book fair is organised by Samskrita Bharati, a non-profit NGO, to mark its 30th anniversary.

It will be inaugurated by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj while the National Sanskrit Conference will be inaugurated by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Book fair

Mr. Jois said the book fair would serve as a common platform for publishers and buyers of Sanskrit and Sanskrit-related books. More than 150 individuals and corporate publishing houses across the country will take part in the fair. The event will also see the release of about 300 new Sanskrit books.

Mr. Jois said that the National Sanskrit Conference would attract many eminent scholars from across the world.

As part of the book fair, an exhibition, ‘Jnana Ganga', showcasing the activities of various Sanskrit institutions in India and abroad will be held. Working models of mechanical devices as expounded in ancient texts and ‘Science in Sanskrit literature' will be the theme for displays hosted by premier organisations such as ISRO and Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium.

Cricketer Anil Kumble will inaugurate the Jnana Ganga on January 6.

Events

The event will also see cultural events featuring eminent artistes such as S.P. Balasubramaniam, Vidyabhushana, and Rajesh Krishna. A puppet show and Yakshagana performance will also be held.

Dinesh Kamat, organising secretary of Samskrita Bharati, said that the organisation was planning to bring out Taslima Nasreen's Lajja in Sanskrit at a later date.

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