Ahead of the Ardh Kumbh, signboards, display boards and information boards across Haridwar in Uttarakhand will carry information in Sanskrit along with Hindi and, where applicable, English, district administration and Kumbh Mela officials said at a meeting on Thursday.
The decision makes the use of Sanskrit mandatory on signs installed by government departments, as well as in public places, private institutions, educational institutions, official offices, road signs, traffic signals, highway information boards and appointment boards.
Officials said the initiative was launched as Sanskrit is the second official language of Uttarakhand and Haridwar is a major center for Sanskrit education.
Lalit Narayan Mishra, Chief Development Officer (CDO), said the move would enhance the language and offer a unique cultural experience to pilgrims and visitors coming to the city.
“Boards at government offices, autonomous bodies, civic agencies, name boards, road and traffic signs, bus stands, railway stations, mela ghats and other public places will also carry information in Sanskrit,” Mishra said.
To ensure accuracy and avoid grammatical errors, the district administration has appointed two Sanskrit experts to assist the departments in preparing the Sanskrit text for the display boards.
Vani Bhushan, director of Jai Bharat Sadhu Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in Haridwar, has been appointed as nodal officer for the initiative. The Additional Director of Sanskrit Education will also help the departments in getting accurate translations.
Sanskrit scholar Dr Saraswati Pathak said: “It is a welcome step. Haridwar has several Sanskrit schools and colleges, a Sanskrit university and a Sanskrit academy. It is fitting that the city is getting recognition for its Sanskrit heritage along with its Indian heritage.”
