Sanskrit

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Sanskritised tribals of Chhattisgarh

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Besides Sanskrit, the Samaaj is introducing English in these five tribal schools of Chhattisgarh.

FROM G MANJU SAINATH
DH NEWS SERVICE, JASHPUR NAGAR (CHHATTISGARH):

“Sharanam. Aham Tav Abhivadanam Karomi.” Clad in white dhoti and kurta with a long tilak on forehead and nicely combed hairs, students of Samarbar Sanskrit Vidyalaya enthral the newcomer by greeting them in Sanskrit.

The tribal dominated village Samarbar in Raigarh district has this Sanskrit school where small children converse in Sanskrit with each other. What is more astonishing is that these kids are not Brahmin but tribal. Years ago an enlightened tribal person, Swami Rameshwar Kanwar, known popularly as Gahira Guru, began to change the tribal world by spreading spirituality.

Having read many ancient scriptures, Gahira Guru used Ramcharit Manas, written by Goswami Tulsidas, as a mean to teach people the essence of ‘Sanatan Dharma’. Gahira Guru used to meditate everyday at Kailash Gupha (Kailash cave) at Samarbar, which is now a place of tourists’ delight.

Later Gahira Guru formed a group of 20 persons to start his organisation Sanatan Dharma Sant Samaaj at Gahira to elevate the standard and intellect of tribal people and change the way they were living in for centuries. In turn, this group constituted the Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Samarbar and Gahira where small kids frequently talk in Sanskrit, but within the school premises.

Gahira Guru’s son Chintamani, who has been appointed as the chairperson of the Chhattisgarh Sanskrit Board says, “Sanskrit is a sweetest language and one who practices it, can never behave in an uncultured manner. We have heard of Kannada speaking villagers of Mattur in Karnataka speaking in Sanskrit and we want to bring Sanskrit in routine.”

Chintamani showed a hilly Korava tribal boy, a student of this school, who recited aloud the Sanskrit prayer. Koravas are the most backward community in Chhattisgarh.

The Sanatan Dharma Sant Samaaj has five Sanskrit schools at Gahira where Gahira Guru was born, Kailash Natheshwar Gupha in Raigarh district where Gahira Guru used to meditate, Samarbar — the place chosen by Gahira Guru to change the tribal world, Srikote and Ambikapur, both in Sarguja districts. Besides Sanskrit, the Sanskrit board is now introducing English in these Sanskrit schools to keep pace with the latest trends in the world.

Recognising the works done by the Sanatan Dharma Sant Samaaj, this year the BJP government awarded this organisation with Gahira Guru Samman. At least one can say that if things go on in the same pace, a miracle is going to happen soon at Samarbar and adjoining areas to dazzle the world.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->