28 Years of Vedic Teaching by Srinivasan Sastrigal

Vedas are one of the most significant medium of learning important lessons related to regular life and also about dharma and sastras. In olden days, Kings from Kshatriya varna and the Brahmins, who themselves are a varna, are taught vedas, sastras and other important teachings in Vedic style of schooling.

Nowadays, where our life is mostly influenced by the lifestyle of westerners, there are still some good amount of people, who are really blessed to have been exposed to these kinds of cultural and traditional lessons, in the form of Vedas and satsangs.

OUR GURU SRINIVASA SASTRIGAL

Also, due to the lack of recognition of these noble deeds, many Sanskrit scholars and Vedic pundits have lost their students and interest in teachings; and to earn a livelihood, they’re into many other working fields.

Still the good amount of people who value our own Indian culture and understand the importance of these Vedas and Sastras, help their kids to learn them too. I consider myself very lucky to be in the good company of many culturally active individuals.

Snap from the 28th year celebration

Srinivasan Sastrigal, a veteran in these Vedic activities continues the legacy of his father Shri Raju sastrigal, who initiated this Veda class, started in the early 1950’s. He celebrated his 25^th year of Veda class in the year 1974, which was organized in a grand manner by the principal of Raja Veda Pathasala, Shri Lakshmikanth Sharma (oldest or the First Veda Pathasala), with the Sessions Judge Shri Anjaneyalu as the Chief guest in the very premises of Navaneetha Krishnan Temple.

Second batch Students with Srinivasan Sastrugal and his wife

One of the notable alum of Raju sastrigal is Shri Subramaniya Athreya, who’s now working in NASA. He is a student from the 1^st batch of the Veda class. NASA is a space research organization, where it has a separate research department for Sanskrit as it values the richness of Sanskrit and Vedic subjects.

From the 28th year celebration

Srinivasan Sastrigal is teaching Vedas to individuals ranging from school goers to office goers. This post is to celebrate the occasion of completing his 28 years of the noble cause that he is doing without any expectations.

The most important thing is that Raju Sastrigal and Srinivasan Sastrigal are teaching Vedas without even charging a single penny from the students.

On 27^th May 31, 2019, he and his students successfully began their journey of 29^th Year of the class. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this anniversary function held at the Navaneetha Krishnan temple, where he conducts classes regularly, every day from 7PM to 8PM.

He teaches the basic Vedic lessons like Sri Rudram Namakam and Chamaka, Sukthams, Upanishads and Surya Namaskaram (Day classes). Also he blessed all his students and also told that those who’ve learnt Vedas, not only from him, generally all are reaching heights and are leading a happy life.

Srinivasan Sastrigal is an important sastrigal who never misses any Paramacharya’s Jayanthi and takes part in homam, vedic chantings and all. He also makes his students to attend all these events and also chants during the procession of Adi Shankara, Maha Periyava, Periyava and Bala Periyava photos on their respective jayanthi.

Author Vishwanath with his brother in his right and Guruji's son in left

When I asked him about the strength of the class from the beginning, he said that “Around 10-13 students comes for the class. Nowadays because of the pressure in the school students, they’re made to go to tuitions for each subject out of compulsion for scoring high marks in the rat race and find no time for the Veda class”. This 3^rd batch has the second highest strength compared to that of the first batch which is of around 15-20 students and in the second batch just with 6-10 students.

Me with Prahaladhan

The boy in the above picture is Prahaladhan who is just studying in 5^th standard. While listening to the story of boys discontinuing Veda classes for tuitions, he said out of curiosity that he’ll leave schools and tuition for Veda classes. However, this is just good to hear from a small kid, but the enthusiasm from this boy is energetic and I wish many kids from their young age should be trained to chant vedas, Shlokhas and Sahasranamams. Not only chanting, they should go to temple regularly and pray for the wellness not only for themselves, but also for the wellbeing of the country and all other entities.

Glimpse from the 28th year anniversary

I assume parents are the sole reason and a great teacher for teaching and inculcating the culture and traditional importance to the kids of future generation.

Please note that our culture should be inherited at any cost, or else we have no other option to lose our kids leading the unhealthy western lifestyle. Even westerners gives huge importance to the Indian culture and diversity but not the very own citizens of India.

Special thanks to Vishwanath anna for contributing some key points.
Special thanks to Vinitha Akka for being my proof reader.

Yours East Gaterr