COVID 19 gave me an opportunity to watch my kids education closely and how they progress studying online. For both of my kiddos still in their primary class, the new mode of “Online Education” is sometimes weary and other times fun filled.. To be sure, their progress in gaining the knowledge is less anticipated in this mode, alas! Recently, while skimming some of my old photos in my phone, my visit to a near by Veda Pathasala popped up. Today being a New Year holiday gave me an opportunity to ponder “how the ancient education in India would have been cherished and then petered out.”!!!
Education in Ancient India
“Education is the real eye of man, and Truth is the highest penance,” says the Mahabharata. The paramount importance of education for the achievement of a harmonious development of the physical, intellectual and spiritual faculties of man, was fully realized by the Indians from time Immemorial. The ancient concept of education was that it was an unfailing light and a perpetual source of Illumination. Education was considered as a means to secure progress and prosperity In this material world and peace and salvation in the spiritual world.
Education in ancient India was inseparable from and teachers were generally priests. It was a sacred duty of a Brahmana to teach; it was a religious obligation of the parents to provide their children with the necessary education; and it was equally a religious duty of the students to learn and to revere their teacher. The primary aim of education was to inculcate in the mind of a young student the spirit of religious piety and a sense of the true values of life. The fact that education and religion were dovetailed did not mean that the former inculcated a spirit of renunciation in
the minds of the students; on the contrary, it was believed that, it was the aim of education to modify and ennoble the character of man, to develop his personality by giving him self confidence and dignity, to cultivate in his mind a sense of social obligations and to infuse in him the idea that the rich national heritage must be zealously preserved and propagated.
A remarkable idea that was prevalent in ancient India was that, it was incumbent on the rich and the poor parents alike to educate their children, both male and female. The Upanayana ritual signified the beginning of education for Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and as a result every Aryan received at least elementary education.
Development of the systems of education in ancient India can be classified as:
1. The pre-historic times when the family itself was an educational institution.
2. The Vedic age and the advent of professional teachers. Ancient Gurukulam System.
3. The age of Buddhism and the rise of Buddhist, Universities and Temple-colleges.
To conclude, the history of education in ancient India reflects the high civilization and culture achieved by Indians. Though paper printing were unknown and libraries non-existing but great, importance was attached to the education
of the young students were taught orally and sacred lories were hoarded in the memory of the people. It did not mean that cramming was the criterion of the Iearned; emphasis was laid on assimilation and the proper molding on character for making a man a useful and promising member of society. The ancient culture of India remains as a source of inspiration to us even now. Though great changes have take place in the system of education in modern times, the missionary spirit of the ancient teachers to teach, the zeal of the students of those days to learn and the final relationship that existed between the teacher and the taught, must be revived in order to accelerate our efforts to achieve progress and prosperity through the education of the young in modern times.
sivaayyala 