Education in Ancient India

Education in India has always been regarded as one of the basic inputs in human resource development. In the ancient days, the Gurukul system of education was prevalent. The teacher was the Guru and the disciple was the Sishya. The disciples lived in the Guru's aashram during the course of their training and in turn offered their services to the ashram. This period of learning of, about 12 years, was considered as a great sacrifice or a penance. The Guru identified the capability of his Sishya and accordingly imparted knowledge. The sishyas learnt amidst the natural surroundings of the ashram, in open air, in close contact with nature. The Kings sent their Princes to Gurus for training on the art of using weaponry, vedas, music, art and physical forms of exercising & defence. At the end of their training, the disciples thanked their Gurus with a gift in the form of a gurudakshina - which literally means "offerings to the Guru".

One of the most popular cultural institutions in India which still follows the Gurukul system is Shanthiniketan near Calcutta which was established by the great teacher, artist, philosopher and literary laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Kalakshetra in Madras, established by the great dancer Rukmini Arundale too follows the Gurukul system. To-date, a teacher in India is regarded as a Guru, a master in his discipline.

One of the most ancient universities of India is in Nalanda near Patna. Founded in the 5th Century AD, this great seat of learning flourished until the 12th century AD. Gautam Buddha and Parsvanath Mahavir are believed to have visited Nalanda. The Chinese chronicler Huen Tsang spent many years here both as a student and as a teacher. Nagarjuna, the Buddhist Mahayana philosopher, Dinnaga, the logician and Dharmapala, the Brahmin scholar taught here. At one point of time about 2000 teachers and 10,000 students crowded the portals of Nalanda University. Besides religious texts, students in the ancient universities learnt about Ayurveda (Medicine), Ganitha (Mathematics), Arthashastra (Political science), Jyothisha (Astrology), Vyakarna (Grammar), Shilpathana Vidya (Art and Crafts), and Adyatma Vidya (Philosophy).

Christians are also proud that they brought education to India, "but," counters Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of the Bangalore based Art of Living, an International Foundation. He recently addressed the UN Peace Summit on Aug 28. He is the only non-westerner to serve on the advisory board of Yale University's School of Divinity and is author of the book - Hinduism and Christianity:

"it is not true: there were for instance 125,000 medical institutions in Madras before the British came. Indians never lacked education, the Christians only brought British education to India, which in fact caused more damage to India by westernizing many of us."

Sri Aurobindo has commented on the state of education: "In India...we have been cut off by a mercenary and soulless education from all our ancient roots of culture and traditions..." (source: India's Rebirth - By Sri Aurobindo )