Rajasthan government introduces a course to train youth as priests !

In an effort to bridge a gap between the Sanskrit language and youngsters,  Rajasthan government has launched a certificate course which will train youth as priests. Following the footsteps of Gujarat, under the course, youth will be taught conducting prayers and performing rituals.

The Department of Skills, Employment and Entrepreneurship (DSEE) and the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct programmes to train youths as priests. The training program will include course related to related to Solah Sanskars (16 sacraments from birth to death), Mantra Uccharans (Chanting of hymns), Archan Poojas (process in which birth star are recited to invoke blessings), Making of Pooja Samgari (knowledge of items and preparations used for pooja) and understanding the Sanskrit literature.

Calling Sanskrit as the oldest language in the world and the states of Rajasthan, Krishna Kunal, commissioner of the Department told DH, "We will provide a holistic purohit (priest) training which will impart yagya training to the youth in the past. Gujarat is already conducting the program and we will follow it. Sanskrit is able to provide on a large scale new technical terms which the modern languages are unable to find in their own resources. Thus we need to revive the usage of Sanskrit in modern times."


Course to offer job opportunities to youth in India and overseas:


Stating a private study which shows that India has more than 1,08,000 temples with around 34,000 temples in Tamil Nadu, 43,000 in Andhra Pradesh, 34,000 in Karnataka, 28,000 in Kerala,4,500 in Maharashtra,5,000 in Mathura, 2,000 in Arunachal Pradesh and around 1,500 on the banks of the Holy Ganga, Department believes that course will bring youth closer to Sanskrit language, which has a lot of job opportunities to offer in India and overseas.

Besides providing training in writing and speaking fluent and correct Sanskrit, the youth will also be trained in trades related to creating different articles and offerings such as designing vases, vastras for God, garlands, pooja samgrais, and types of equipment which can be used in the temples. "By getting trained in such trades, the youth can further come up with their own entrepreneurship units of producing such items which shall, in turn, create more jobs and business opportunities for the youth of the state," Kunal added.


After completion of the course, the trainees will be given proper certificates which shall help them fetch quality placements not only in India but also in other countries which have a high demand of Sanskrit-speaking experts and Indian Priests.