Sanskrit Week: being celebrated from August 19 to 25

Sanskrit Week is being celebrated from August 19 to August 25, 2021.

Key Points

• Sanskrit Week is celebrated to promote and popularise this ancient language.
• On the beginning of this event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged everyone to learn and promote Sanskrit language.
• People were asked to take a pledge and generate a new enthusiasm for Indian cultural traditions & languages and to make Sanskrit Language accessible to people easily.

World Sanskrit Day

This day is also known as Vishva-samskrita-dinam. It is an annual event that focuses around the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. Event incorporates lectures about the language. The day is celebrated with the aim of promoting its revival and maintenance. Every year, the day is celebrated on Shraavana Poornima, the full moon day of the Shraavana month in Hindu calendar. In the year 2021, the day will be marked on August 22. Sanskrit organisation Samskrita Bharati has been tasked with promoting the day.

Shravani Purnima

Shravani Purnima, also called as Raksha Bandhan, is the festival of remembrance and worship of sages as well as worship for their dedication. On the day, a sacred thread is worn before the study of Vedas in Gurukulas, Yajnopavita. The ceremony of wearing sacred thread is called as Upanayana or Upakarma Sanskar. On the occasion, Priests also tie raksha-sutras to hosts.

Background

Ministry of Education of Government issued notifications to celebrate Sanskrit Day in 1969. Since then, the day is celebrated across India.

Sanskrit week

Week in which Sanskrit Day falls, is celebrated as Sanskrit week. As Sanskrit is the official language in Uttarakhand, different programs and competitions are organised in Sanskrit language every day in the Sanskrit week.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2021