Vedic Vidyalayas: The newly emerging trend

http://www.newsgram.com/vedic-vidyalayas-the-newly-emerging-trend/

ALLAHABAD: Vedic Vidyalayas have recently emerged as the latest trend.  In contrast to last year’s figure of 150, the numbers for the Prayag entrance test have doubled up. The Times of India reported how   around “400 children, aged between 9 and 11 years, came to Prayag (Allahabad) from across the country on Wednesday to take the entrance test for 25 seats in two such schools. Most of them were from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and UP”. Both written and oral tests were held as a part of the entrance. 

These Vedic Vidyalayas are run jointly by Vishwa Ved Sansthan (an organ of Vishwa Hindu Parishad) and Maharshi Ved Vyas Pratisthan (Pune) and offer a seven-year course in Vedas.  There are around 35 Vedic Vidyalayas in the country. Eight out of these are located in UP, two in Prayag and Haridwar and one each in Kashi, Mathura, Ayodhya, Rishikesh and Lucknow. Apart from these, Vedic schools have also been set up in Manipur, Kolkata, Jammu, Pune, Amrawati and Pushkar.

Shubham Tripathi, who had brought his son from Jaipur for the test, offered his opinion upon the rising trend of Vedic education. “Two years back, yoga was not too popular but today International Yoga Day is being celebrated across the world. Same is the case with Vedic education.”

Maharshi Bhardwaj Ved Vedang Shikshan Kendra, Prayag, principal Acharya Pankaj Sharma said, “Many western universities offer graduate level courses in Vedas, Sanskrit, Hindu philosophy, yoga, ayurveda, jyotish and medicines. Meritorious students get a worldwide exposure as various universities are on the lookout for such students. Demand for acharyas and experts is on the rise in western countries.”