Cambridge Researchers Revitalize Forgotten Sanskrit Scholars of Colonial India

A research initiative led by Cambridge University aims to uncover the lives and contributions of Sanskrit scholars from colonial India, challenging long-held assumptions about the decline of Sanskrit scholarship during British expansion. This project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), seeks to document how these scholars, often referred to as “pundits,” preserved India’s classical literary tradition in rural settlements.

Historically, it has been believed that the rise of British power in the seventeenth century hindered the growth of Sanskrit learning. However, the researchers involved in this five-year project assert that the two centuries preceding the British Raj were a period of vibrant intellectual activity. Hundreds of scholars thrived in Brahmin settlements known as agrahāra and monasteries, or maṭha, throughout the countryside of Tamil Nadu.

Exploring the Kaveri Delta Region

The project will conduct an extensive survey of the Kaveri Delta region, which was once a significant hub for Sanskrit studies. Dr. Jonathan Duquette, the lead investigator from Cambridge’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, emphasized the importance of this research, stating, “There were literary geniuses among these men, historically significant figures, but many people in India don’t know them.”

The research team intends to study texts that have never been translated or published and may even uncover works previously unknown to both Western and Indian scholarship. Settlements in this area flourished under the Maratha Bhonsle dynasty from 1650 to 1800, when Brahmin scholars were granted land in perpetuity, exempt from taxes, which provided them with the security to pursue intellectual and artistic endeavors.

These scholars often expressed their gratitude through poetry and plays, celebrating their patrons. One notable example is Shahaji Bhonsle, a seventeenth-century ruler who was both a patron and a poet, depicted in Sanskrit works as a generous benefactor and an accomplished lover.

Mapping Intellectual Heritage

Dr. Duquette and his team plan to identify at least twenty settlements of significant intellectual importance, tracing connections between scholars, temples, monasteries, and royal courts. Their approach combines archival research with field visits to map the historical structures of these villages and engage with the descendants of the scholars.

“These settlements have been in decline since the early twentieth century,” Dr. Duquette noted. “Many Brahmins have moved away, and buildings have been sold, but some descendants remain. We want to understand their legacy and make it better known.”

The project, titled “Beyond the Court,” aims to demonstrate that Sanskrit culture extended beyond royal courts and cosmopolitan centers, showcasing a vibrant intellectual life in rural areas and its interactions with Tamil scholarship. This initiative comes at a time when Cambridge’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies seeks additional funding to enhance research in Sanskrit and pre-modern Indo-Persian studies.

The findings from this project could reshape the understanding of Sanskrit scholarship in colonial India, illuminating a rich intellectual heritage that has largely been overlooked. As the research progresses, it promises to bring to light the contributions of these forgotten scholars and their enduring impact on India’s cultural landscape.