Introduction
I start this blog on July 10, 2013, to record my experiences of the experiment I am doing by taking the task of reading the complete text of Valmiki’s Ramayana with a group of associates at the Sai Temple in Billerica, Massachuseets. I proposed the reading last December to Mr Anil Naik, the mentor at the Temple. He agreed and has procured a dozen texts from India. i started the first session on May 5, 2013. The goal is to do two sessions a month, each session going from 3 PM to 5:30 PM on a Sunday. Mr. Sandeep Srivastava coordinates the reading on behalf of the Temple. Dr Kaladhar Rao, who is in the Faculty at University of Massachusetts in Lowell, helps me with the local logistics. Here is a report he wrote after the first session. http://www.lokvani.com/lokvani/article.php?article_id=9022
For many years, I did harbor a curiosity about Poet Valmiki and his magnificent story-telling through the book “Ramayanam.” Though Ramayana is staple literature in whole of India and I had my fancy with the story as a child, I wanted to create an opportunity to read the text myself. I have been trying to study Sanskrit independently for about thirty years now and have developed somewhat good facility with the language in its grammar, vocabulary and syntax. A yoga teacher named Dr V. Satyananda Rao loved Valmiki’s Ramayana and my association with him over the years made my interest sharper. Late Swami Sarvagatananda of Ramakrishna Vedanta Society in Boston became a good friend and he loved to hear the Ramayana recitation during his final years of life. Dr V. S. Rao passed away in 2007 at the age of 88 and Swami Sarvagatananda passed away in 2009 at the age of 97.
With Swami Sarvagatanda, I had conceived a project called “Story of Sanskrit.” I started to work on the project with a few former students and local associates in 2010. While formulating the project, the interpretation of the word “Story” appealed to me and I looked back at Valmiki again. I thought I would learn story-telling by reading Valmiki’s creation. I did have a great friend in Dr. Hugh Hill, who was popularly known as “Brother Blue.” Brother Blue dressed in blue with blue butterflies painted on his palms made a living through story-telling. The idea of bard poetry and oral literature entered my head by observing his performances. Originally I had thought of reading the Valmiki’s text such that I could furnish stories to Brother Blue for his repertoire. This page is dedicated to the memory of my friend who passed away in 2009 at the age 88.
I initiated a Sanskrit Conversation Table at Harvard University in 1992 which had the aim of people telling short stories in Sanskrit language. it was blessed by Michael Witzel, who was the Chair of the Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies and was supported by the Dept as a volunteer effort. The Table meets every Tuesday evening and my friend Thomas Burke presides the Table. Many members of the community and students and Faculty at the University have benefited in reading and comprehending Sanskrit through the weekly meetings. Maya De has been with the Table since its inception. C Gopinath has been a regular attendee for the last several years. I remember the great scholar Mr. S Mahalingam who first intrigued me about the fluency of the oral story telling in Sanskrit language. Mr. Mahalngam was already in advanced age and did pass away in 2004. Along with him I remember Mr.Jogesh Panda who brought expertise and insight to our table. Mr. Panda passed away untimely in 2005.
Krishna Bhatta from the local SriLakshmi Temple has been a partner to me in my journey to learn Sanskrit. He was a Sanskrit teacher and encouraged me in my efforts to create recitation groups in SriLakshmi Temple. Recitation of Vishnusahasranama with him helped me repeat my syllables and clear my throat. i started Sanskrit classes in the Temple in 2000 and trained several batches of students who could help me expand the classes and take in more students. Though I have not been able to continue with the classes since 2009, the classes are run by my gifted students. Like any teacher, I learned more from them than they think they learned from me.
I must mention my grandfather Sri Ratnakar Kar, who first initiated me to learn Sanskrit. Nobody in my life has been more affectionate to me as he was. Valmiki searches for the most noble character when he begins his book, my grandfather would come closest to the prescription that Valmiki creates.
I have done five sessions and I will report gradually. Hopefully I will get current and then I will report after each session. Thank you for visiting this blog.
Bijoy Misra, Lincoln, MA
Valmiki's Ramayana 