As the academic session under Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) has already commenced in Delhi University, students of Sanskrit Department are all set to study some unconventional subjects in the coming years. Surprisingly, they will get lessons in fashion, make-up, Indian polity, aesthetics and self-management through Bhagwat Gita.
“The main purpose behind introducing all these courses is to promote Sanskrit as a discipline more than as a language,” says Dr Satyamurti, assistant professor, Department of Sanskrit. “When I say fashion, it doesn’t mean students will study about the latest fashion or we will ask them to design an outfit. Instead, they will be taught about the fashion and textiles used in ancient era. Similarly, they will read about make-up applied at the time of abhinaya or theatrical performances,” says he.
What is more interesting, those who have opted for Sanskrit to appear for civil services, will get a chance to study about Indian political science that includes Kautilya shastra as well as basics of a debate as mentioned in ancient texts. “All these subjects will help students in developing a logical and rational frame of mind while entering any kind of debate. For this we have tried to establish a connect between the logics mentioned in the ancient text with the present situation,” says Satyamurti.
Like other subjects which are being introduced for the first time, self-management through Bhagwat Gita will also be an added advantage. “This will help the students to understands the principals of management,” says the assistant professor
Besides, syllabus includes sections from Sanskrit literature, both classical and modern, dealing with issues of national concern. Students will also be taught human
resource development with the help of an HRD model that will be taught on the basis of Sanskrit texts like Sruti, Upanishads and Smritis. They will also learn about the inter-connection between Sanskrit with various Indian and foreign languages.
“Also, students get an idea about the performing arts, stage management and perception of cultural and social point of view through drama in their subject Indian theatre and aesthetics,” says Mithilesh Chaturvedi, head of the department.
Sounds novel!