World Sanskrit Day 2022: History, significance and all you need to know

World Sanskrit Day or Sanskrit Diwas is celebrated annually on the occasion of Shraavana Poornima. The day will be observed on 12 August this year. Sanskrit is also referred to as the mother of all languages in India. It is among the oldest languages in the world. Being one of the first spoken languages in the world, Sanskrit is of great importance in the ancient history of India. It is also called the ‘language of Gods.’ To give more recognition to its place in India’s glorious past, World Sanskrit Day is observed.

World Sanskrit Day is celebrated all across the country to promote the resurgence and preservation of this language. Sanskrit Diwas focuses on organising events around Sanskrit, such as lectures about the language, that aim to promote its revival. Full-day seminars are usually organised to talk about the importance of Sanskrit in order to promote and appreciate the language.

History

Sanskrit language is said to have originated in India around 3,500 years ago. World Sanskrit Day or Sanskrit Diwas was first observed in 1969. The day aims to spread awareness about and promote the revival of Sanskrit. It acknowledges the place Sanskrit holds in Indian history and culture.

Sanskrit, in literary terms. is divided into two different periods- the Vedic and Classical. Vedic Sanskrit is mainly a part of the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Puranas. The Vedas were composed from 1,000 to 500 BCE.

Centuries later, some Europeans were impressed by Sanskrit. Among them was Sir William Jones, an English scholar who visited India in 1783 as a judge of the British Supreme Court in Calcutta. He later founded the Asiatic Society.

Significance

The language still holds a very prominent position in Hindu religious rituals and practices. Most of the Hindu rituals are performed in Sanskrit only. Many Sanskrit institutions and universities have been opened and consequently many young students have been learning Sanskrit.