In my novel ‘The Stolen Soul of Somita’ the main protagonist discovers a box that has printed upon it some mysterious Sanskrit text. She tries in vain to discover what it means but because this ancient language is no longer widely used finds it hard to decipher the message. So what is Sanskrit and why have I used it in my novel?
Sanskrit is the ancient language of India and I was surprised to learn that it is part of the Indo – Aryan (Germanic) family of languages that include Greek and Latin. It first appears in the Vedas – the oldest scriptures of Hinduism in around 1500 BC. It is thought that all modern North Indian languages derive from Sanskrit.
Today it is the official language of only one Indian State – Uttarakand in North India. In other parts of India it is only used as part of religious ceremonies during rituals where hymns and mantras are performed. It is also used widely in the West in Yoga practices.
I used this ancient language in my novel to evoke a sense of mystery and the feeling of the supernatural. It also allowed me to include the use of ancient rituals that are seen as taboo in India today – you will have to read the novel to discover more!
I was fascinated recently to read an article on the BBC website that detailed how the new administration in India is trying to resurrect Sanskrit in schools. Please click on link to read article and let me know what you think.
Harbinder Mathadu 