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The Kerala Sanskrit tradition is relatively not so ancient but quite different from the rest of India in width and depth. The unique features of the educational system in Kerala is that both Brahmins and non-brahmins enjoyed Sanskrit education. The first four to six years of traditional education among the Namputiri were spent on the memorization of the veda. Each boy memorized his own veda, most all of the samhita. This may be followed by more advanced recitation in particular of the padapatha and some of its Vikrti modifications. There are particular vikrti modifications of the Namputiri Rgveda and special forms of Yajurvedic recitation that are not known in other parts of India. In both Rgveda and Yajurveda recitation the three vedic accents, udatta, anudatta and svarita

95 are taught in a special manner. The teacher keeps the pupil's head straight for the udatta, bends it down for the anudatta and bends it to the right for the svarita. When the accents are properly learned and internalized, the head should no longer be moved. There are also special hand gestures (mudra) that accompany special features of veda recitation. Although vedic education was the monopoly of the Brahmins, Keralites were able to learn Sanskrit crossing the descrimination of caste and religion. If the brahmins learned Sanskrit for the vedic education non-brahmins learned Sanskrit for getting educated in Vastu Jyotisa and Ayurveda etc. For this purpose the teaching was held either in the house of guru or in kudipallikudam. Both of these two institutions in the field of education had a common nature. All of these students learned Siddharupa, Amarakosa, Balaprabodhana Sriramodanta, Sreekrsnavilasakavya, Raghuvamsa etc., especially they studied Siddharupa and Amarakosa a by heart. The communities like Mannan, Kaniyan or Panikkar and Asari learned and taught Ayurveda, Jyotisa and Vastu respectively. Not only brahmins but also Nambiar, Varier, Pisharodi, Poduval etc were also teach Sanskrit. Kings, Lords and some Namputiri families encouraged scholars to teach the Sanskrit language. Namputiri families and king's palace had

96 held contests on sastrabhyasya and held assembly of scholars on regular intervals. Namputiris and Tampurans invited the scholars to their house and these scholars stayed at their house and taught many students including family members and others. Propagation of Siddharupa and Balaprabodhana and popularization of Sanskrit among the common people points out the influence of Buddhism in Kerala. Students learned the text basic deeply. They learned the higher texts and learned all the sastras. Later they engaged in the making of Kavya and sastra themselves. Buddhism had strengthened the popular base of Sanskrit and Ayurveda. They popularised Sanskrit language and ancient sciences among the ordinary person. In the modern times the other religions like Christianity and Islam also contributed to Kerala Sanskrit. Best examples in this field were scholars like Arnospatiri and Kuriako master. Great souls like Sree Narayana Guru, Chattampi Svamikal and Punnasseri Nambi strongly argued for Sanskrit education. 'Kavya Sastra vinodena kalo gacchati dhimatam' was the common perception of Kerala scholars. It means that the time of the intelligent people goes by engaging in kavya and sastra.