Vijayawada, September 17, 2013: Clad in a dhoti and sporting a tuft of hair on a shaven head, they are a handful of young students determined to carry on an age-old tradition. The villagers wake up to the recitation of Vedas by young boys in the wee hours. And it has been continuing for more than a decade at Kottur Tadepalli village near here.

The Veda pathasaala run in a gurkul style has a reputation of itself at the village and in the city. What started with mere two students at the Veda Pathasaala, the strength has increased to 13 students studying Krishna Yajurveda. Strikingly, the Vedic scholars at Indrakeeladri, abode of goddess Kanaka Durga, prefer to admit their children in the Shanmukha Veda Vidyalaya run by Sundara Dharmika Hanuman Parishad. Kappagantu Janakirama Sarma, the acharya at the Shanmukha Veda Vidyalaya, says the parents leave their children at very young age in the pathasaala. Parishad chairman Kappagantu Lakshmi Narayana, a former lecturer, said the Veda pathasala was wish of his father Subramanya SastryThe Parishad was started with a view to take up religious activities and promote Vedic studies. The Parishad has plans to impart training in all the four Vedas. Besides free boarding and lodging, clothing, etc were provided. Those interested in Vedic studies could contact acharya over 9032044114.

Source: The Hindu, September 17, 2013