Netizens react as Varanasi airport starts Covid announcement in Sanskrit: ‘Can anyone understand?’

• Shubham
• 23 June, 2022

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By: Shubham Ghosh

IN a first in India, the international airport in Varanasi, a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has added Sanskrit language to make announcements cautioning about Covid-19 pandemic. The new addition created a buzz online as the passengers have been familiar with Hindi and English announcements so far.

A video clip featuring the announcement in Sanskrit was shared on the official Twitter handle of the airport, formally known as Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport after India’s former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

“Now at Varanasi Airport, after English and Hindi, the Covid norms are being announced in Sanskrit also. At the airport to our respected passengers. As soon as they come, they will feel that they have entered the back place of Kashi – Sanskrit language,” the Hindi tweet said.

#आजादीकाअमृतमहोत्सव के अवसर पर #भाविप्रा वाराणसी विमानतल 22 जून को #चापेकरभाइयों को याद करता है|

वर्ष 1897 में उन्होंने ब्रिटिश अधिकारियों से पुणे में महामारी प्लेग से खराब तरीके से निपटने का बदला लिया और उन्हें फांसी दे दी गई थी|(1/2)@AmritMahotsav @AAI_Official @aaiRedNR pic.twitter.com/BiZrgx6SP0

— VARANASI AIRPORT (@AAIVNSAIRPORT) June 22, 2022

Netizens divided

Netizens were, however, divided. While many welcomed it, there were also others who felt it was not going to help as they felt the language was “dead” and asked whether anyone would understand it.

TM Krishna, a musician and author, slammed the move saying “the insanity of this beyond description!”

He added in a sarcastic tone: “Let us also include Pali and Prakrit. Sarnath is the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon and Ashoka built his most iconic pillar! both languages have a large corpus of material! The sheer stupidity of making a public health safety announcement in Sanskrit!”

let us also include Pali and Prakrit. Sarnath is the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon and Ashoka built his most iconic pillar! both languages have a large corpus of material!
The sheer stupidity of making a public health safety announcement in Sanskrit!?

— T M Krishna (@tmkrishna) June 18, 2022

Sanskrit announcement on Covid at Varanasi airport. Can anyone understand? https://t.co/PQ4bd4WegI

— Ramesh Parida (@RameshParida1) June 19, 2022

Stop bhojpuri discrimination.. Add bhojpuri language also

— RAVI SINGH (@ravi_singh09) June 20, 2022

Very nice effort to make Sanskrit a common language. It is such a beautiful language. Students of many states are now not able to learn Sanskrit because of regional language compulsion. But Varanasi has made such a nice attempt?

— Khushboo Mehta (@Khushboo2611407) June 20, 2022