'अपश्चिम: पश्चिमे' is the latest book I have read and undoubtedly a very impressive one. It is unique in concept and presentation and a wholesome entertainer. Moreover, it is written in simple and easy to understand Samskrit.
It is a narration of a visit to America. कति कवय: ? कति कृतय: ? {How many poets? How many books?} Do we need yet another traveloge? you may ask.
I must say an affirmative YES and am sure you will also agree due to the following reasons and once you read the book.
It is an account of efforts made by the author to popularise samskrit in distant America in 1997. The author Dr H R Vishwasa, a samskrit scholar himself, is an unsung hero who has dedicated his life to promote samskrit. The selfless efforts made by like minded people in reviving the sacred language through an organisation "Samskrita Bharathi" is phenomenal. Revolutionary ideas of Samskrita Bharathi like 'Speak Samskrit in 10 days' or 'Samskrit through Correspondence' and innumerable publications in Samskrit have dramatically improved the popularity of samskrit. The graph of samskrit is certainly on an upswing. The visit to America was in this direction to run few "Sambhashana shibira's"
The uniqueness of the book is that it is in very simple and easy to understand samskrit. There are many incidents frequently cropping up in the narration which made me to laugh at varying degrees. The inherent wit and humour of the author is manifest in the book. The preface is by renowned scholar Vempati Kutumba Shastry, former Director of Rashtriya Samskrita Samsthanam. The gist is this book is in 'must read' category. [Published by Samskrit Bharathi, Mata Mandir Galli, Jhandewala, New Delhi-110055. Pages: 97 (Price Rs.35 for the first print which is now sold out. I was just lucky to snatch one of the few copies which were available. New Print is in the process and likely to be published in a month's time, I learnt).
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