Patna: The world’s first Ramayana University will open in Bihar. Mahavir Mandir Trust has sought permission from the state authorities to launch the University at Ismailpur, Vaishali.
The trust has submitted a proposal to the schooling division on Tuesday together with the requisite demand draft of Rs 10.50 lakh. Its primary programmes include the levels of Shastri, Acharya, Vidya Vachaspati and Vidya Varidhi at par with the standard universities of the nation for undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and D Litt.
Trust’s secretary Acharya Kishore Kunal stated that the college could be established in Ismailpur on a space of 12 acres of land owned by the trust.
He stated that a rich research and reference library for Indian and international students could be established within the campus. Kunal stated, “Sanskrit grammar primarily based on Ashtadhyayi by Maharshi Panini and Mahabhashya and Kashika of Patanjali will probably be a vital topic. The university will even have plenty of programmes designed to generate employment opportunities upon completion of education. These are astrology, rituals, Ayurveda, yoga and discourse.’’
It would be like any other modern university with basic infrastructure for higher studies and research, including WiFi campus and online facility.
The trust has acquired about 25 acres of land for the university at Biddupur in Vaishali, about 50 km from the state capital Patna.
The university would also teach and train knowledgeable Hindu priests for conducting rituals during festivals and family functions. Hindu priests will pass out of the university and that will end the dearth of knowledgeable priests.
The university will have specialised five-year courses in astrophysics, astronomy, Hindu mythology, Vedas and Upanishads. It will preserve and promote the literature of the Ramayan in Sanskrit, Hindi, vernacular texts and languages of Southeast Asian countries.
The Valmiki Ramayan would be the main foundation of the syllabus, but other Ramayans like Adhyatma and Anand as well as Sanskrit works like Raghuvansha of Kalidas would also be included.
Ram Charit Manas of Tulsidas in Hindi, Tamil Ramayan of Kambar, Marathi Ramayan of Eknath and Ramayana prevalent in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia too would be part of the syllabi. Hindu scriptures such as Gita would also be taught. The USP (unique selling proposition) of the university would be that it would provide an opportunity for higher research of ancient scriptures.
The trust has already begun work to build the world’s largest Hindu temple, the Virat Ramayan Mandir, in the state’s West Champaran district, about 125 km from here.
Costing over Rs.500 crore, it would be 405 feet high and have a hall with a seating capacity of 20,000.
It would be almost twice the height of the world-famous 12th century Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, which rises 215 feet. Of the 18 temples in the complex, the Shiv temple would have the largest Shivling in the world.