Ant trails, frog calls to predict rain? NSU-NIT to decode Sanskrit texts

A six-month NSU-NIT programme will examine Sanskrit texts where frog behaviour, ant movements, and cloud patterns were linked to rainfall, drawing both interest and criticism

Frogs croaking before rain and ants moving in long trails may sound like countryside lore, but in ancient Sanskrit texts, these were considered scientific indicators of rainfall. A new six-month project by the National Sanskrit University (NSU) and the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut will study such ecological signs documented in classical works to decode ancient weather prediction techniques, according to a report by The Hindustan Times.

 

Ancient weather clues in frogs and ants

 

The project will examine texts such as the Bṛhatsaṁhitā, a 6th-century compilation describing how frog behaviour, ant movements, and cloud patterns were linked to rainfall. The Matsya Purāṇa records flood cycles, while Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra prescribes strategies for famine management.

 

Research scope and funding

 

Backed by the Indian Knowledge Systems division of the Union education ministry, the initiative is among 79 selected from 372 proposals, with funding of ₹3.8 crore. Nearly 600 applications were received for 36 internship positions. Each intern will receive a stipend of ₹10,000 a month, with the option of extending their tenure beyond six months.

 

Interns will work in six focus areas, including textual translation, glossary compilation, and scientific comparison of ancient techniques with modern meteorological data. NSU, a central university in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, will lead Sanskrit research, while NIT Calicut will handle scientific modelling and validation.

 

‘Not a replacement for science’

 

However, the programme has met with scepticism from sections of the academic community. D Raghunandan of the Delhi Science Forum reportedly dismissed the internship as “entirely pointless", arguing that a worthwhile project must begin with a clear hypothesis and show how results align with contemporary science.

 

S Vaishnavi, assistant professor at NSU and principal investigator, told the paper that the aim was not to replace modern science but to enrich it with sustainable, indigenous perspectives rooted in India’s traditions. She added that NSU would handle Sanskrit research, while NIT Calicut would focus on scientific modelling and validation.

 

Vaishnavi explained that the methodology involved extracting such verses, translating them accurately, categorising indicators (astronomical, ecological, ritual), and then comparing them with modern datasets.