Learning the Vedas - the continuing tradition

The Vedas are the earliest compositions and dates back to about 2500 B.C.E. They had been passed down orally through generations before writing and printing were popularized.

In some of the homes of the Namboothiri community in Kerala, South India, the tradition is still preserved in that children are offered lessons in oral memorization of the Vedas.

When this tradition is followed, ordinarily more than four years have to be devoted to learning the Vedic texts known as Samhitas by rote and the process is accompanied by some head movements and gestures as well.

In Kerala, there are schools for Vedic learning at two places, namely Thirunavaya and Irinjalakkuda.