Education System of India before British Education System.

British education system or Lord Cornwallis education system was introduced in India to destroy the knowledge based education so that Indians will be made clerks and sub ordinates to help few British people to rule this country. 

This education system is continuing till date, which put the education level down in India. Indian education was knowledge based, it was not service based which is now, and this is the greatest contribution of Britishers for India.

The quality of education imparted in Ancient India was unparalleled which continued in Medieval period too. Hence in spite of various hardship and hurdles students from different parts of the world flocked to Indian universities. 

Amir Khusrau (1252-1325 A.D.) mentions that scholars have come from different parts of the world to study in India but no Indian scholar have found it necessary to go abroad to acquire knowledge. 

Indian scholars were in great demand abroad. Khaliphs like Al Mansur and Harun Al Rashid (754-809 A.D.) sent embassies to India to procure Indian scholars. 

Astronomical treatise like Brahmasiddhanta and the Khanda Khadyaka of Brahmagupta and the medical books of Charaka, Susruta and Vagbhatta were translated to Arabic.

As a home of knowledge and wisdom Ancient India produced scores of scholars on various subjects - Buddha and Shankara (philosophy), Kautilya (political science and administration), Sushruta (surgery), Charaka (medicine), Kanada (physicist; propounder of atomic theory), Nagarjuna (Chemistry), Aryabhatta and Varahamihira (Astronomy), Baudhayana and Brahmagupta (mathematics) and Patanjali (yoga), Vatasayana (Kamasutra), Lilawati (Mathematics) to name a few. 

As the whole world knows, the concept of zero is a contribution of ancient Indians.

The knowledge of ancient Indians in the field of metallurgy was extraordinary as it is evidenced by the Iron pillar at Delhi which till now has not rusted though exposed to elements since hundreds of years. How such a huge column was casted is still a mystery to scientists.

The lofty temples found in Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Odisha and Khajuraho, Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple near Bhopal (only structure in the world which is with its Ramp in its back, which shows how this temple or other high structures were built in those days.

A map is also there of the temple which is on stones in the campus of the temple, its architect was Maharaja Bhoj himself) to name a few shows the expertise which ancient Indians had in Structural Engineering.

 

History of First Man made Caves in India - Barabar caves (1000 - 1200 years older then Ajanta) in Bihar.

Man has always wished a Home; whether it’s for his own living, for society or for Religious work. From the beginning man wished a strong reliable Home. In their search they found Cave a suitable place to live but it was not possible to get caves everywhere or where man wished. Due to this they went towards Mountains and Plateaus, their search worked, Caves came to light in Plateaus and Mountain areas. Even plateaus were found more convenient on mountain due to their strong old black Granite rocks. Mountains of Himalayan range are new and are unstable due to their soil base, so even scientifically; plateaus were preferred.

In India about 1,200 caves were built. Maximum number of them belongs to Buddhist monks. 900 Buddhist caves came in light. Even Jain’s made 200 caves for their Monks. Generally Brahmins had not patronized or taken deep interest in making Caves. Of course due to local kings some Brahmin caves were being made and they all became very famous due to their sculpture, quality, Architect and painting. Udaigiri, Aellora, Eliphanta, Mahabalipuram is some famous Brahmin Caves. There are about 100 Brahmin caves in all over India.

Caves first came in light during Mauryan period. Emperor Ashok is the 1^st (First) ruler who has taken interest in making caves. 4 caves in Barabar Plateau, Bihar are the first group of caves which were made for Buddhist Monks during Ashoka period. Nearby Barabar plateau there is Nagarjuna plateau, 3 caves were found there too. They were made during the period of Ashoka’s grandson Dashrath. The caves excavated for the use of the monks during their retreat in the rainy season. In total 7 caves were being made.

During Sunga Dynasty, (a Brahmin dynasty) after Mauryan period many caves were being made in Western and Southern India in the Sahadrya plateau range for Hinayana Buddhist Monks. These Buddhist caves were being made in Bhaja, Bedsha, Pitalkhora and Karle near Pune, Nasik and Ajanta, Ellora in Aurangabad district in today’s Maharashtra state in Deccan plateau. It shows that Mauryan cave making policy continued and not only continued but developed at its best in the best form of Ajanta and Ellora.

These caves in India offer an instructive field for the study of the evolution of Rock – cut architecture, Painting and Polishing on rocks. Their architectural quality, Sculpture is getting peoples due attention. But unfortunately all caves are not as lucky as Ajanta – Ellora is.

Mauryan caves of Barabar and Nagarjuna plateau are different from Sahadrya plateau of Western India. The ‘polish on rock’ and ‘writings on wall’ indicates that they belong to Mauryan period.

When we talk about First cave/caves built in India. The name comes as ‘Mauryan period cave’ known as “Satgharwa” in local language or group of 7 caves near Gaya, Bihar. These caves were built 800 years or more before the caves of “Ajanta – Ellora”. Without these 4 Barabar and 3 Nagarjuna caves it is impossible to think about the development of world famous ‘Ajanta – Ellora’.

Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga is twice referred to by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. One stanza reads: “Offering the inhaling breath into the exhaling breath and offering the exhaling breath into the inhaling breath, the yogi neutralizes both breaths; thus he releases prana from the heart and brings life force under his control.” The interpretation is: “The yogi arrests decay in the body by securing an additional supply of prana (life force) through quieting the action of the lungs and heart; he also arrests mutations of growth in the body by control of apana (eliminating current). Thus neutralizing decay and growth, the yogi learns life-force control.”

““The Kriya Yoga that I am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century,” Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya, “is a revival of the same science that Krishna gave millenniums ago to Arjuna; and that was later known to Patanjali and Christ, and to St. John, St. Paul, and other disciples.”

— Paramahansa Yogananda,
     Autobiography of a Yogi

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel a pioneers of Indian Freedom struggle. His Life a Lesson.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the pioneers of Indian Freedom struggle against British rule in India. He was a True Gandhian in his Thoughts, Words and Deeds, a True ‘Karma Yogi’. He spent a long time in Jails during freedom struggle. He is the man who as a 1^st (First) Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India united it as a Nation, which in 1947 Britishers left as a bunch of more than 550 independent states and divided into 2 parts India and Pakistan. It was British policy to make India weak and divided, but this “Iron Man” and great friend of PM Nehru fought against all the odds and made India ‘One Nation’.

Sardar Patel was born in 31 October 1875 and left the world on long voyage on 15 December 1950.

Patel was born and raised in the countryside of Gujarat. He was a successful practicing   lawyer. When peasant movement started in Gujarat against British autocracy and land – tax, peasants came to him for his guidance and leadership.

He subsequently organised peasants from Kheda, Borsad and Bardoli in Gujarat in ‘Non – violent Civil Disobedience Moment’ against oppressive policies imposed by the British Rule. After a long battle British rule accepted his terms and conditions. This great struggle made him “Sardar”. He became one of the most influential leaders in Gujarat. He rose to the Top leadership of the Indian Nation Congress.

He acted as de facto Supreme Commander-in-chief of Indian Army  during Political integration of India and India – Pakistan 1947 war.  

He is also affectionately remembered as the "Patron saint of India's civil servants" for having established the ’Modern All India Services’ system. He is also called the Unifier of India.      

Here are some memorable quotes by Sardar Patel. -  

February 12, 1928: Discipline and organization mean half the battle won.

September 21, 1929: Unite and you will not have to fight.

June 16, 1933: Serve the people without any expectation, and try to be as much pure as possible by mind, words and deeds. It you do that much there is not placed for pessimism. It is but natural that when you are all alone mind runs a riot, but if you continuously engage yourself in some work then the mind will be peaceful.

January 2, 1935: Freedom is going to be built up from bottom and not going to fall from above.

January 1, 1935: Idleness is the greatest enemy of man.

June 13, 1935: A drunkard can never become a man of character. He does not have sense of good or evil. He is not able to control himself. Therefore, give up drinking forever.

October 23, 1935: No one should spit on the roads, should not throw remnants of eatables on the streets, and should not make the places dirty.

January 26, 1939: Non-violence has to be observed in thought, word and deed. The measure of our non-violence will be the measure of our success

July 19, 1940: Character is very essential for real success. One who has no character can succeed neither in politics not in commerce. Commercial morality is very necessary in business. Without honesty and mutual confidence it is impossible to achieve success. Intelligence is also necessary for success in the commercial field. Fate also has its own place but without character and commercial morality everything else fails.

April 16, 1947: Caste, community will rapidly disappear. We have to speedily forget all these things. Such boundaries hamper our growth

August 11, 1947: The need of the hour is to increases the wealth of the country and this can only be done by putting in more and more work and thus increasing production.

January 5, 1948: Even an inch of Kashmir will not be yielded. India wanted to be liberal in setting affairs with Pakistan and wanted to live and let live. But if Pakistan wanted to shell India with the money received from India, it could not be allowed.

January 25, 1949: Our prestige has gone high because of Mahatma Gandhi. People are praising the manner in which we have achieved integration of the States without violence or bloodshed and by peaceful means and co-operation and in a spirit of cordiality.

May 16, 1950: In the history of this country there has never been such consolidation as has been today. Indian history has shown in the past and, if we take a lesson from past history, then it is our duty to preserve and consolidate the hard earned freedom for which many people have made tremendous sacrifices.

September 18, 1950: Young men and women are to build-up a strong character. A nation's greatness was reflected in the character of her people. It was sullied by selfishness, such a people could not prosper or achieve great things.. Selfishness had its place in life as everyone had to look to his own needs and that of his family, but it could not be made the be-all and end-all of life.

September 19, 1950: No distinctions of caste and creed should hamper us. All are the sons and daughters of India. We should all love our country and build our destiny on mutual love and help.

October 3, 1950: The education system should be so reoriented that young men were taught to do things with their own hands in the agricultural and industrial fields.

                                                 End.