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St. Stephen’s College (DU) conducted National Seminar on “Motherhood & Mother’s Love”

The Department of Sanskrit, in collaboration with Sanskrit Sahitya Sabha under the aegis of IQAC, successfully hosted a one-day National Seminar on the theme "Motherhood and Mother's Love: An Exploration of Mother in Sanskrit Literature" on December 04, 2024 at St. Stephen's College. The event witnessed insightful deliberations, thought-provoking discussions, and a gathering of distinguished academicians and research scholars from across the country.

The inaugural session was graced by eminent personalities, including Prof. Omnath Bimali as the Chief Guest, Prof. Meera Dwivedi, and Dr. Ashutosh Dayal Mathur as keynote speakers. The session was also attended by Prof. John Varghese, Principal of St. Stephen's College, and Dr. Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Convenor of the seminar and Head of the Sanskrit Department, St. Stephen's College.

The event began with a manglacharan performed by students from the Sanskrit Department. After the felicitation of guests, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Mishra, who presented the concept note. In his statement, Dr. Mishra presented the concept note. He primarily talked about Late Dr. Harsh Kumar, one of the renowned personality of Sanskrit discipline from St. Stephen's College on whode birthday the seminar was being organised. Dr. Mishra hlighted the underrepresentation of a mother’s love in Sanskrit literature. He identified three archetypes of motherhood within the Indian worldview—biological mothers, foster mothers, and spiritual mothers—and provided textual references to support his insights. He emphasized the importance of bringing the theme of maternal love into scholarly discussions, noting, "Despite the prominence of women in Sanskrit literature, a mother’s love has often remained in the background."

Prof. John Varghese, in his address, remarked, "Since God can't be everywhere, He created mothers. It is important to go back to our roots and illumine what has been in shade for years."

The seminar saw participation from research scholars representing prestigious universities and colleges across India. Out of over 80 submissions, 18 papers were selected for presentation across three academic sessions. Scholars explored diverse themes related to the depiction of motherhood and maternal love in Sanskrit texts, offering unique perspectives and enriching the discourse.

The Valedictory Session was presided over by Prof. Bharatendu Pandey, who provided profound insights into the essence of motherhood in Indian tradition. Dr. Narayan Dutt Mishra, Editor-in-Chief of Vartaavali, DD News, delivered a special lecture, encouraging further research on the subject.

There were around 100+ participants and many scholars including Dr. Chandrabhushan Jha, Dr. Shamim Ahmed, Dr. Abhishek Mishra, Dr. Ashutosh Shukla and Dr. Aditya Pratap Deo etc.

All presenters were felicitated with mementos and certificates. Attendees appreciated the college’s warm hospitality, which included excellent arrangements for refreshments and meals. Dr. Pankaj Kumar Mishra announced plans to compile and publish a book based on the seminar's papers, to be launched at an upcoming international seminar.

This seminar marks a significant step in highlighting the nuanced portrayal of motherhood in Sanskrit literature and fostering further scholarly engagement with this vital theme.