Gurukul must work to revive indigenous civilisation: Minister Pandey

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 9: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has emphasised the need for Gurukuls to take the lead in reviving Nepal’s indigenous civilisation.

While addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Sanskrit play ‘Pratishtha’ organised by Kanti Bhairav Gurukul at Ward No 4 of Gokarneshwor Municipality, the minister said that today’s Gurukuls should play a role similar to that of philosopher Chanakya, who awakened people through traditional Gurukul based education.

Highlighting that Nepal’s culture and nature can be showcased to promote tourism, Minister Pandey informed that the Ministry is working in that direction.

“There is an ongoing discussion that the Sanskrit University may not have been able to fulfil the purpose for which it was established. As other government bodies have also failed to work in line with public sentiment, collective effort is needed to bring about improvements,” said the minister. 

“The Sanskrit University holds significant physical assets, and they must be put to proper use. There is also ongoing endeavour to establish Nepal Ved Vidhyashram, located in the Pashupatinath area, as a full-fledged college,” the minister added.

Minister Pandey also highlighted the global demand for those proficient in both Sanskrit and English language and shared that students from Nepal Sanskrit University are currently teaching Sanskrit at top universities around the world.

He said that since Nepal is the land of both the Vedas and the Buddha, it can be established globally as a centre of both knowledge systems.

 As the spiritual aspect is gaining more importance than the material in recent times, he further highlighted that society must be inspired by the dignity of civilisation, culture, oriental literature and the Sanskrit language.