Learning Sanskrit Through Rhymes

Via Pune Mirror.in

Language learning is easy if you start to learn it at a young age, they say. But unfortunately people hardly follow India’s classical language, Sanskrit, as it is hardly taught at primary level.

At higher level too, the language is taught via the tedious grammar translation method.

With an aim of popularising Sanskrit among youngsters, a Sanskrit teacher has penned Sanskrit rhymes, on the lines of nursery rhymes, for children.

Varsha Sarda, a Sanskrit enthusiast, has come up with the novel idea of Sanskrit rhymes in a book form along with its audio CD.

Her book called Moda Sanskritam will be launched on Wednesday. Moda Sanskritam contains 11 jingles or rhymes along with illustrations.

She deliberately has not provided translation, so that one can learn it the natural way. “I want kids to learn the language without the usual translation method. They can get the meaning from illustrations.”

The book will be sold along with audio CD in which all these rhymes are transformed into jingles. “Prasad Ranade has given music to the rhymes”, she said. Varsha says it is for easier learning that the musical method has been developed. “Kids can easily sing the songs.

The subject of these poems written by Varsha include day-to-day experiences such as children’s play, rains and even earthworm. “I deliberately kept the subject easy, so that everybody can understand it.

When I took this book to schools, they liked it. Almost 30 primary and nursery schools from Pune have agreed to take this book to teach.

Read the entire article here.