Vedic Vidyapeeth
Anāmay Vedic Āshram runs a Vedic Vidyapeeth which was started before even the Ashram existed in 2003 at a rented place in Artola, near Jageshwar, Almora District in Uttarakhand.
It was simple living, all in one/two rooms.
This were the very first 4 students. The 2nd from the right, the smallest, is a Yajurved Acharya in the Ashram now.
In November 2006, we shifted to the new land here in Kausani, living in tents initially. For all these years, it was running completely with private donations. About in 2010, we contacted Maharishi Sandipani Rashtriya Vedvidya Pratishthan, a Government administered , run by the Human Resource Development (Education) Ministry of India to join. During those days, funding was not possible, but at least we requested to be on board so that our students could get certified degrees.
Now since October 2020, we are officially a part of Sandipani and started to get funds. It was first only for the Sama Veda class, now the Rig Veda and Yajur Veda classes are also on board since April 2022.
After learning a set of stotras and mastering Rudrabhishek, the students make a choice of one of the Four Vedas(Ṛik,Sāma, Yajur and Atharva). We promote Sāma Veda and Ṛig Veda before Yajur Veda, because Yajur Veda pandits are there a lot, but other Vedic Pandits are in short supply. We are now even looking to open an Atharva Veda section.
After the Student makes his choice for one of the four Veda, he will be a part of the Sandipani. Not only will they have to go for yearly examination in their respective Ved, the examination is also on Sanskrit Grammar (Vyākaran), General Knowledge, Mathematics and English, they also get a monthly stipend which supports their families.
In addition to the tight Sandipani curriculum they also learn some Ayurveda, recognizing plants and their usage, Dr. Kuldeep Nautiyal, our Vaidya is specialized on plants(dravyaguṇa vigyan), and a very important class is Jyotish. The field of Jyotish is endless. It is not every student’s cup of tea to go so deep into Jyotish to be able to read, analyze, and predict anyone’s chart correctly but at least a Pandit should be knowledgeable in calculating a Muhurta and know the basics. Some of our students however have become very proficient in Jyotish and are correctly reading charts. Since this year, we added basic Astronomy and we are the proud owners of a 9” Telescope that gives 81 times magnification of the eye piece and it collects 843 power units of light. We added Trignometry in the math class, so they learn how to calculate positions. The most amazing part of any telescope experience is the literal expansion of one’s horizon. It blows any students mind ones he starts to experience all aspects of the universe. We have inner expansion by practicing everyday Transcendental Mediation and TM Sidhi Program morning and evening and outer expansion by experiencing the vastness of the Universe.
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