Mahatma Gandhi said, “Without the study of Samskrit one cannot become a true Indian and a true learned man.” Nehru, surprisingly said, ““If I was asked what is the greatest treasure which India possesses and what is her finest heritage, I would answer unhesitatingly that it is the Samskrit language and literature and all that it contains” and Dr. S Radhakrishnan was of the opinion that, “Samskrit has moulded the minds of our people to the extent to which they themselves are not conscious.” Now when you hear Washoe County, Nevada has proclaimed Jan 12 as Sanskrit Day, you wonder if it is a scene from a Harold and Kumar movie.

This happened due to the efforts of Rajan Zed, the Hindu priest of Nevada whose prayers in the Senate were disrupted by anti-abortion activists. According to the proclamation by the county, “As Hinduism expands in the West, it is important that to understand Hinduism, one should have a working knowledge of Sanskrit.” The press release also notes correctly that Buddhist and Jain scriptures were also written in Sanskrit.

Another revelation due to this program was the existence of the only Sanskrit Rock Band in America, “Shanti Shanti“, consiting of two sisters, Andrea and Sara Forman.

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