Letter to Uncle about Vidyalaya and Exams

In the last exam of our Vidyalaya, there was a question like this:

Write a letter to your uncle about our Vidyalaya and exams.

In exam, I left the question in choice :-), but trying to answer here.

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Hello Uncle,

Hare Srinivasa. I am fine here and hope you are also doing well there.

I am writing this letter to let you know abour Haridasa Sahitya Mahavidyalaya and Research Center.

I came to know about this Vidyalaya in internet and contacted Shri Harati Prahladachar, who created this Vidyalaya and conducting exams on Haridasa Sahitya, Harikathamrutha sara etc., He has been conducting these exams for the last 20 years and more than 1200 students have attended and taken the exams. 

On Haridasa Sahitya there are exams for 12 semesters. Yes. It will take 6 years to complete these exams. Do you know that much information is available in our Haridasa Sahitya? By just knowing few Haridasa Songs, I thought I knew everything, but only after I started giving exams, I realized that I knew nothing.

For all the exams, Vidyalaya gives us the syllabus and also the book recommendations. We have to read them on our own and prepare for the exams. But there is contact class almost every week (schedule will be given) where we can go and ask for queries in the syllabus and exam content.

Haridasa Sahitya follows Madhwa or Dwaita Siddhantha. There are many Haridasas - right from Sripadarayaru / Vyasarayaru's period upto GuruGovindaVittaladasaru in 20th century - (and also in this 21st century) - who have given us valuable songs, Suladhis, Ughabhogas apart from many Kaavyaas. All these have precious information in them which every Madhwa has to read and enjoy our Siddhantha. 

Beauty of this Vidyalaya is you can write exams in the language you know - Tamil, Telugu, English anything. You can be of any Mutt or Bhajana Mandali and can take these exams. The objective is to enrich our knowledge about Haridasa Sahitya and Madhwa Sidhantha. 

Exams are conducted twice a year (June & December). Currently in Bangalore, but if there are more students who are willing to take the exams, Vidyalaya can conduct exams at any city. 

Again, it is fun writing exams - 3 hours for a paper. After school & College, I had lost touch in writing at all. So it was tough initially, but now I am used to it. All the hardwork converts into happiness after seeing our Mark sheets provided by the Vidyalaya. Marks or Grade or Result - does not matter here at all. The satisfaction I get is that I had given my 100% in exam preparation and the valuable knowledge I get by reading for the exams.

All these times, I was singing many Haridasa songs, which I learnt from childhood, but without knowing their meanings. Only after joining this Vidyalaya, I was able to read into the song, understand their tattva meanings. 

As only we are responsible for our knowledge enrichment, I request you and Aunt to come to Bangalore, meet our Gurugalu and take up the exams.

As Vijayadasaru said - Madhwa rayara karuna padeyadhava dhareyolage idharenu, illadhidharenu - Knowing and reading more and more about Haridasa Sahitya is the only way to get Madhwa rayara karuna. So please consider writing these exams and also get this information to your neighbours and friends. 

Thanks

Sathya Narayanan