Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, often referred to as the “Roof of the World”, is home to the world’s highest mountain range and Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak. But Nepal is also the abode to a very unique and timeless cultural tradition, the Vedic Tradition. Nepal gifts the world with timeless art and architecture and the power of its living oral tradition that is thousands of years old.
In particular, the Kathmandu Valley plays a special role for Nepal as it is home to the three Ancient Kingdoms: Kathmandu, Pathan and Bhaktapur. These former Kingdoms have not only preserved priceless art and architecture but also the living oral tradition of Vedic Recitations. It’s not surprising then that alone in the Kathmandu Valley seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found.
Vedic Recitations and the Vedic Performances (Yagyas) as performed by the Vedic Pandits in Nepal are recognized by UNESCO as a significant part of the world’s cultural inheritance. UNESCO has proclaimed the tradition of Vedic recitation as “a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity”.
This notable Vedic cultural heritage of Recitations and Yagyas is part of a holistic science of consciousness which is known today as Vedic Science. This Vedic Science, like the recitations themselves, has a history of many thousands of years and is the foundation of many other branches of Vedic knowledge including Ayurveda, Yoga, Sthapatyaveda (Vedic architecture), Gandharvaveda (Vedic science of music), Vedanga and Upanga (Vedic philosophical systems) to name just a few.
In this modern age Nepal has faced an enormous change in just a short passage of time, giving rise to an escalating cost of living, lost agricultural lands, rising food prices, and wide-scale unemployment. Much of the remnants of this ancient Vedic Culture are in decay and could easily vanish if not preserved.
The Charity will support this tradition through the education and training of the Vedic Pandits of Nepal, who are trained experts in the application of particular aspects of traditional Vedic Science. Schools will be built and run in such a way as to provide the traditional training necessary for new pandits as well as provide additional training for experienced pandits, in order to assist them in preserving the Vedic cultural values of Nepal.
The goal of the Charity is to lend support, to protect, preserve and grow the Ancient Vedic World Cultural Heritage of Nepal.
Photo right: Daily Rudrabhishek Yagya in a Gurukul (Pandit school)
Photo left: Ceremony during the recitation of the Rudrabhishek Yagya
After completing this comprehensive training as a pandit, employment will be made available through the charity financing the performance of Vedic Recitations and Yagyas thus putting to use this training and providing economic opportunities to village children, while simultaneously preserving this unique cultural heritage of Nepal.
