Under the banner of Campus Samskritam Network (CSN), members from MIT, UMD, CMU, UPitt, PSU, UPenn, Caltech, Purdue and so on, are bringing out an online Sanskrit magazine. Hosted on the website, www.speaksanskrit.org, this ‘webzine’ – as they call it – it is aptly titled Vishvavani (the voice or the language of the world). The motto of the group? Rachayema samskrutabhuvanam. At first glance, the motto translates to ‘We shall create a Sanskrit world’. However, since the word 'samskritam' means refined, this phrase can also mean ‘We shall create a refined world’.

Last week, the third issue of Vishvavani was released, and it features a wide range of topics – from an article on ancient Indian mathematics by Prabha Mandyam, (PhD student at Caltech) to another on Swami Vivekananda by Harichandan Mantripragada (PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University), and onto a travelogue by Dr Jyotsna Kalavar  (Associate Professor at Penn State University). Beyond the articles, this webzine is enriched by a subhashitam (wise saying) and even a Sanskrit crossword puzzle.  

Sowmya Joisa and Avinash Varna, editors of the magazine, say that even though it is not the first online Sanskrit magazine, it is currently the only active one available online. The group was inspired by the first online Sanskrit magazine Apoorvavani which is not active anymore, and by a monthly print magazine Sambhashana Sandesha – both brought out by Samskrita Bharati. In addition to a document format on the web, the contents are also published on a blog to make it easier for readers to give feedback.

For details, log on to www.speaksanskrit.org/vishvavani.