Sanskrit, Alive and Well
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Sanskrit, Alive and Well
The June 15 news story "Summer Camps Revive India's Ancient Sanskrit" unnecessarily branded and infused with ideological overtones the emerging Indian movement to renew the study of Sanskrit.
Staff writer Rama Lakshmi depicted the movement as tied to Hindu nationalist attempts to assert dominance in a pluralist nation. This is an unsubstantiated assumption that demeans the efforts of millions of Hindus to reconnect with their linguistic heritage, which is the wellspring of a plurality of Indic languages.
The article referred to Sanskrit as a "language long dismissed as dead." This is not so. Sanskrit is the liturgical language of Hinduism and is used daily by millions of Hindus worldwide.
-- Ishanaa Rambachan
Kensington
The writer is a member of the executive council and the media team at the Hindu American Foundation.
Satirists of Note
Michael Cavna's June 12 Style article on political satirists, "Comedians of Clout," made a start at covering this issue, but for my money there were several important omissions. For 27 years, the Capitol Steps troupe has successfully delivered sharp-tongued political satire to a national audience, through stage, television and radio performances. The Steps show is a must-see for many D.C. tourists, and their albums have legions of loyal fans across the United States.
If "The Simpsons" can parody local political satirist Mark Russell, why was he ignored? Has The Post also forgotten Joan Cushing, Mrs. Foggybottom? What about the Hexagon Players?
