By Admin 
For the first time after partition, teaching of ancient language Sanskrit has been formally started in any university of Pakistan. This initiative has been taken by Lahore University of Management Sciences, i.e. LUMS. Under this course, along with Sanskrit language, ancient texts like Mahabharata and Bhagavad Geeta will also be studied. This step is being seen as an important change in the field of education and culture.
The beginning of this new course did not happen suddenly. In fact, a weekend workshop lasting three months laid its foundation. Students, researchers and people interested in language participated in this workshop. The curiosity and participation shown regarding Sanskrit forced the university administration to think that this subject should be made a regular course. After this, the decision was taken to teach Sanskrit formally.
The heritage related to Sanskrit is rich
Dr. Ali Usman Qasmi, Director of Gurmani Center of LUMS, says that Pakistan has a very rich Sanskrit heritage, but it has been ignored for a long time. He told that there is a large and important collection of Sanskrit manuscripts in the library of Punjab University. This collection is an important part of the country’s cultural heritage, but unfortunately it is often ignored.
Dr. Qasmi also told that many Sanskrit manuscripts written on palm leaves were discovered in the 1930s by the famous scholar J.C.R. Woolner listed. However, since 1947, no local scholar of Pakistan has worked seriously on this collection. These manuscripts have been used mostly by foreign researchers. In such a situation, training local students and scholars in Sanskrit can change this situation.
An important name associated with this initiative is Associate Professor Shahid Rashid. He told that when people ask him why he is learning Sanskrit, his answer is very simple, why should we not learn it. According to him, Sanskrit has been the language connecting this entire region. This language is not limited to just one religion, but is the common cultural heritage of the entire subcontinent.
This is a big center
Shahid Rashid said that the village of the great Sanskrit grammarian Panini was also in this area. During the Indus Valley Civilization, there was a major center of writing and knowledge here. Sanskrit is the key to understanding the thinking and culture of that period. He compared Sanskrit to a mountain, which has stood the test of time and is still a symbol of our cultural identity.
He believes that it is not right to associate Sanskrit with any one religion. This language belongs to everyone and by adopting it, history and culture can be understood in a better way. With this thought in mind, this course has been started in LUMS, so that the new generation can be connected with our common heritage.
What is the plan?
The university is planning to take this initiative further in the future. Preparations are also being made to start separate courses on Mahabharata and Bhagavad Geeta. Dr. Qasmi says that in the next 10 to 15 years, such scholars can be seen in Pakistan who are experts on Geeta and Mahabharata. This will be a big step not only in the field of education but also for cultural dialogue.
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