This airport in Uttar Pradesh starts making announcements in Sanskrit, netizens react

Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) has started making COVID-19 announcements in Sanskrit.

So far, the airport was making announcements in two languages -- Hindi and English. However, it added Sanskrit as the third language for the purpose from Friday.

The initiative has been started by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) together with Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

"Now at Varanasi Airport, after English and Hindi, Covid norms are being announced in Sanskrit too. As soon as the passengers enter the airport, they will feel they have entered the hub of Sanskrit language," Varanasi Airport in a tweet.

अब भाविप्रा वाराणसी विमानतल पर अंग्रेजी और हिंदी के बाद संस्कृत में भी कोविड मानदंडों की घोषणा की जा रही है

हमारे सम्मानित यात्रियों को विमानतल पर
आते ही महसूस हो जाएगा कि वे काशी - संस्कृत भाषा के पीठ स्थान में प्रवेश कर चुके हैं|@AAI_Official @aaiRedNR pic.twitter.com/E0RcD3LfSS

— VARANASI AIRPORT (@AAIVNSAIRPORT) June 17, 2022

According to airport director Aryama Sanyal, Varanasi has been a centre of Sanskrit since ancient times and the initiative has been started to give respect to the language.

The Varanasi airport is located in Babatpur, 26 km from the city. It was renamed Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in October 2005. The airport is the second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh.

Here's how netizens reacted to it.

"It is pleasant that the announcement is being made in #Sanskrit at #Varanasi airport. This is a good effort to make Sanskrit the common language. This should happen at Varanasi railway station also," said a Twitter user.

Another user questioned why didn't the authorities choose the local Bhojpuri language? "Announcements are made for commuters. How many people can understand Sanskrit? Why not do it in Bhojpuri? The original native language of Varanasi," said his tweet.  

Percentage of people who know sanskrit is miniscule.. and airport is not the place to teach a language

—  |  (@gganeshhh) June 19, 2022

I am sure not even a single person on airport can understand Sanskrit. What is the use of announcement in it

— अब्बास अली (@mauryajispeaks) June 19, 2022

Loved the development. Very thoughtful inclusion of Sanskrit language at an airport.

Yes, many won’t understand but idea is to see the translation atleast and out of 10 people minimum 5 are expected to read the Sanskrit version in whole generation curiosity  https://t.co/HbyY1rT5eT

— Richa ()  (@GirlForJustice) June 20, 2022

Lekin samjhega kaun, very few people in the country less than 0.0001% of the country know the language.

— Rakesh Mallick (@rakesh_mallick) June 18, 2022

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