Prakrits were a group of Indo-Aryan languages that were in vogue between 500 BC and 500 AD. The Buddha and Bhagwan Mahaveera preached in Prakrit. It is important to know Prakrit to understand the history of Indian languages. It is also the base to learn ancient Indian Philosophies. Scholars opine that understanding of Sanskrit language is not complete unless you learn Prakrits.
In his talk, Dr. Abhijeet Alagoudar will introduce the concept of Prakrits, discuss some of the variants and dialects, explore the use of Prakrit in drama and poetry as well as religious texts, and touch upon the evolution of some of today's languages from the Prakrit source.
About the Speaker
Dr. Abhijeet Alagoudar is a member of the faculty in the Department of Studies in Jainology and Prakrits, University of Mysore. He holds a BA in Sanskrit, MA in Prakrit and was awarded his Ph.D. by the University of Mysore. He has authored four books on various aspects of Jainism and has edited and translated two more including a Dictionary for Jaina Technical Terms. He is also a manuscript reader for the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi. He has been invited to teach Jaina Philosophy by various institutions and has presented papers in several international seminars.