This institution represents one of the recent efforts undertaken by the Sringeri Sarada Peetham, as part of its traditional duty of furthering the cause of Vedic education. It seeks to recreate the atmosphere of the ancient Maharishi Ashrams described in tradition. As part of the traditional aspect of the Vidyalaya, a curriculum of Sanskrit, Sastras, Ayurveda, Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology) will be taught in addition to Vedic recitation to students. The students live with the Vedic teacher, the kula guru in a simple and austere manner. Dwellings for nine residents each are being built in groups of ten around a central well. Three such groups constitute a parishad, each of which has its own community center. The completed 1500-acre center is envisaged to have 16 such parishads.

A hospital is being built in the area to cater to the new residents, and will offer both traditional Ayurvedic and Western medical approaches to treatment. The supporting township will also have its own dairy, farms and housing quarters. The township will have secular schools and colleges, teaching courses accredited by the state government. On the opposite banks of the river, a 200-acre forest area is being reserved for the use of sannyasins. Simple monastic quarters and meditation sanctuaries are being constructed. It is hoped that this interaction between the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, will benefit both the students at the Vidyalaya and the nation at large.

There is still massive amount of work to be done to bring this far-sighted vision of a fully functional Vidyalaya to completion. A finely tuned plan has been drawn up, and will require help from all possible well-wishers, to be achieved successfully. Any contribution to this effort will be highy appreciated. Please contact

M. H. Avadhani, No. 35, 7th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai 600 083, INDIA