While most such patasalas teach Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda too, Navajeevan Atharvana Veda Patasala in Tiruchanur is determined to make a difference by taking up only Atharvana Veda, which is learnt or taught only by a handful in the country.
“There are just around 10 qualified scholars and 100-120 learners of Atharvana Veda in India. It is this situation that propelled the idea of starting an exclusive patasala,” K. Sridhar Acharya, founder president of Navajeevan group of charitable institutions told The Hindu . Sadly, 98 of the 100 branches (Shakas) of Atharvana Veda have been lost and only Shownik and Pippala shakas are practised, that too in some pockets of Odisha and Gujarat.
The school is affiliated to Ujjain-based Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishtan, which functions under the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development. This course is considered equivalent to the Intermediate education.
