📜 A Deep Dive into the Valmiki Ramayana Manuscript by Samarth Ramdas Swami: A Critical Study Workshop

I’m pleased to share highlights from a deeply enriching one-day workshop on the Critical Study of Shri Samarth Ramdas Swami’s Valmiki Ramayana, held on December 6, 2025, at C.V. Raman Hall, Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University, Solapur.

Organized jointly by the School of Language & Literature (Sanskrit Department) of the university and Shri Samarth Vagdevata Mandir, Dhule, the workshop brought together researchers, academicians, and students for a meaningful engagement with this profound text.

🎯 Objectives Included:

• Introducing Samarth Ramdas Swami’s version of the Valmiki Ramayana

• Discussing its literary, philosophical, and linguistic dimensions

• Equipping participants with critical research methodologies

👥 Highlights from the Sessions:

• Warm welcome by Dr. Anjana Lavand, Director, School of Language & Literature.

• Thought-provoking presidential address by Hon. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prakash Mahanvar, emphasizing the relevance of Samarth literature in contemporary times.

• Insightful keynote by Shri Sharad Kuber, Former President of Shri Samarth Vagdevata Mandir, Dhule, who detailed the manuscript’s history and research value.

• An engaging special session by Dr. Nilesh Joshi (IIT Bombay), who applied modern linguistic perspectives to analyze the text.

🖋️ Hands-On Workshop Session:
A highly participative segment led by Dr. Gurubasappa Karpe and Dr. Anjana Lavand, where 10 faculty members and 20 students engaged in:

• Manuscript reading and interpretation

• Critical annotation using dictionaries and reference texts

• Practical exercises in textual criticism

This interactive approach helped deepen conceptual clarity and research readiness among attendees.

🙏 Special thanks to the organizing team, especially Prof. Shruti Dewale, for seamless coordination, and to all speakers and participants for making this a thoughtful and collaborative academic dialogue.

Such initiatives are essential to preserve, study, and reinterpret our rich textual heritage with both traditional and contemporary tools.

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