Death of Sanskrit

[Michael Witzel]

Axel Michael remembers correctly, even after a quarter century,  that I had
prepared a paper on the Skt. traditions of Nepal. However, this old paper
was restricted to Vedic Traditions, and it was published in local (now
defunct) general interest journal:

On the history and the present state of Vedic tradition in   Nepal.
Vasudha,  15, No. 12, Kathmandu 1976, 17-24; 35-39
(cf. also: Zur Geschichte der Rajopadhyayas von Bhaktapur. Folia Rara.
Festschrift W. Voigt, ed. by H. Franke et al.,  Wiesbaden  1976, pp.
155-175)

Since it is virtually unavailable I may scan it  and put it up on my
website as
http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/VedicNepal.htm
Keep looking  (I will announce it)

The same topic, but with stress on the manuscript traditions is taken up
again, 25 years later,  in a fortcoming volume celebrating the 30 years of
the NGMPP (Nepal German Manuscript Preservation Project) as:  "Medieval
Veda Tradition as Reflected  in Nepalese Manuscripts"

http://www.uni-hamburg.de/Wiss/FB/10/IndienS/NGMPP/index.html


>As regards the death of Sanskrit in Nepal, I remember a draft article of
>Michaels Witzel on the situation of Sanskrit learning in this Himalayan
>kingdom. However, as far as I know that study has never been published.
>Mahes Raj Pant, presently Lepzig (?), had also published a book on the
>same subject.

Mahesh is again at Hamburg now (until the end of the year):
"Mahes Raj Pant" <mahesrajpant at hotmail.com>

His well-balanced book incorporating both South Asian and "Western"
perspectives:

On Sanskrit education / Mahes Raj Pant.
Kathmandu : Pant, 1979.
viii, 202 p. ; 20 cm.

(available at Harvard, Chicago Libraries, etc)


Hope this helps !


MW>

========================================================
Michael Witzel
Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University
2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)
home page:  http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm

Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies: http://nautilus.shore.net/~india/ejvs/