To prepare for the upcoming Ardh Kumbh Mela in the city, Haridwar will be getting all information panels, road signs and board installed with Sanskrit, in addition to Hindi texts and also English when required. The plan is to showcase how far back Sanskrit goes in the city, so as to bring the language to the attention of pilgrims and tourists.
This goes for signage set up by government bodies, public institutions, educational institutions, private bodies, transport hubs and large public areas, officials said. It will be mandatory use Sanskrit in road signboards, traffic indicators, office nameplates, railway stations, bus stands and for fair related infrastructure.
According to authorities, the scheme is in keeping with Uttarakhand being one of the few States in the country where Sanskrit has been declared as a second official language. Haridwar, known as one of the important places to learn Sanskrit, serves as the home of many Sanskrit schools, colleges and academic institutions that aim to keep to preserve and promote the Sanskrit language.
To make the use of language accurate, the administration has made the use of Sanskrit scholars and language experts in aiding the departments in making translations for public displays. The initiative is aimed at not just saving these customs, but offering tourists a unique experience amid one of the most important religious events of the year in India, officials said.
The administration feels that this would help to promote awareness of the Sanskrit language and would highlight the historical and an educational linkage of Haridwar with Sanskrit language. Work is already underway for the Ardh Kumbh, and several departments have been working to prepare infrastructure projects and public information initiatives.