Over three sections, the 2001 and 2011 Indian censuses are
scrutinised to locate, down to the sub‑district administrative and
village levels, where L1‑L3 (first to third language) Sanskrit tokens
were returned during census enumeration. First, there is a
theo‑political discussion of Sanskrit’s imaginative power for
faith‑based development. This includes a discussion on how
‘Sanskrit‑speaking’ villages signify an ambition toward cultural
renaissance. Next, Sanskrit’s national‑level enumeration is discussed.
Finally, closer scrutiny is paid to the top four states (Maharashtra,
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh). On average, more Sanskrit
tokens were returned by men than women; 92% of L2‑Sanskrit tokens are
linked to L1‑Hindi; most L1‑L3‑Sanskrit tokens cluster with Hindi,
English, and/or the State Official Language; most Sanskrit tokens are
Urban, as opposed to Rural; and most tokens are found across the Hindi
Belt of north India.