Kathmandu, May 4 -- Once dismissed as a "dead language," Sanskrit is witnessing a quiet but noticeable resurgence in Nepal. Across traditional institutions, student enrolment is rising after decades of decline, raising an important question: is this a genuine revival, or simply a reinvention shaped by new social, political, and economic realities?

In the Devghat area spanning Tanahun and Chitwan districts, around 1,000 students are currently studying Sanskrit at institutions such as Mahesh Sanskrit Gurukul, Paramananda Sanskrit Gurukul (run by Harihar Sannyas Ashram), and Gargi Kanya Gurukul. (A gurukul is an ancient residential system of learning.)

Professor Guru Prasad Subedi of Nepal Sanskrit University in Dang recalls a different re...