«Let the lamps of the Veda not go out» — a journey through the Gurukulas of Sirsi

Uma Madhukeshwara Veda Vidyā Gurukula, Banavasi (Sirsi)

Fifteen students under Veda Brahma Sri Madhusudana Bhat, studying Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda to Kramānta, with Sanskrit, English, mathematics and science. A young guru has offered his life to this pāṭha. When the children chant, the whole gurukula becomes veda-maya. Facilities are few; the hunger to learn is immense.

Śrauta Vijñāna Gurukulam, Nadagodu

Thirty-five students in the home of an agnihotrin, Veda Brahma Sri Āhitāgni Narasimha Bhat, in the forest, away from the crowd. Alongside Veda and śāstra they learn śrauta. The guru does not stretch out his hand. He smiles and says: “If we have the Veda, that is enough. Īśvara will take care of the rest.”

Sri Veda Prakāśa Gurukula, Danandi

Eight students on the roll, two present, under Veda Brahma Sri Prakāśa Bhat, in the Malnad forest. The dream is larger: ten more children, a fuller gośālā, a proper campus. If more students come, there is no one yet to cook, and no steady finance.

Śrīdhara Sāṅga Veda Vidyā Gurukula, Varadahalli

Twelve students on Śrīdhara hill, Sagara, run by the Śrīdhara Āśrama Trust. Many have completed their adhyayana and taken up dharmic work. Guru and śiṣya still receive both Veda and saṃskāra here.

As needed, the Vṛnda offered rice and lentils, daily grains, vegetables, and financial support.

These pāṭhaśālas burn like lamps. When the oil runs low, help does not always arrive in time. From July 2026, monthly support is essential. It is all right to skip a meal; Veda-pāṭha must not stop. If one student is sent home unfinished, it is as if a śākhā has gone dark. This is not dāna as charity. It is an āhuti so that our children need never ask, “What is the Veda?” A monthly seva of ₹200, ₹500 or ₹1,000, given with a clean mind, can become their food, their vidyā, and their breath. “The houses we build may fall; the Veda we protect will not perish.”