Gurukul Curriculum through the ages
The education system in the Hindu society has primarily been driven by Temples, Gurukuls and Patashalas. When the Hindu society was administered by Dharmic rulers, the education system functioned based on Hindu Dharma's injuctions as prescribed by Shastras. However, when it was administered by colonial/invading rulers who were not affiliated to Hindu Dharma, the education system invariably disintegrated.
There is a lot of material that documents the motive of the colonial rulers. At worst, they eagerly destroyed the native Hindu education system and at best left it to rot. As the Hindu education system disintegrated rapidly due to foreign intervention, other systems had taken over to educate the common Hindu student. The Hindu education system had its syllabus designed to ground the student in Dharma. But the foreign-imposed and foreign-borrowed education systems were and are totally alien and inimical to the native ecosystems. The result has been a complete disaster and the native religions, culture, languages and knowledge systems have become uprooted.
The movement of the education system from being Hindu-Dharma-centric to being Anti-Hindu/Secular is documented here by showcasing the educational content that students were exposed through the ages.
Curriculum in Vedic era
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Curriculum in Puranic/Ithihasic era
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Curriculum in the era of Mahajanapadas
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Curriculum in the era of colonial rule (Islamic and British)
Gandhian Dharampal had painstakingly collected information on the education system that was prevalent in the pre-British era. He used the educational surveys conducted by British Governors in various presidencies of India, to portray an approximate picture. He quoted British sources in his book "The Beautiful Tree" to showcase the following:
- Caste-wise or Gender-wise aggregated data of teachers and students
- Homeschooling vs formal schooling
- Day schools vs Boarding schools
- Regional variance in educational content
- Teaching and training in the scores of vocational studies, technologies, and crafts
- Teaching and Training in Arts (Music, Dance -largely taken care by temples)
- Functional details of schools
- Student teacher relationship
1822-25 Madras Presidency data - Sir Thomas Munro
Subjects taught in general in Madras Presidency areas
| Area | Subjects |
|---|---|
| Telugu areas | Vedas, Sastras, Law, Astronomy, Ganita Shastram, Ethics |
| Malabar area | Theology, Law, Astronomy, Metaphysics, Ethics, Medical Science |
| Madras-area | Astronomy, Astrology |
| Madurai-area | Vedas, Puranas |
| Masulipatnam | Vedas, Shastras, Law, Astronomy, Theology |
| Guntoor | Theology, Laws and Astronomy |
| Varanasi, Navadweepam | Deeper Theological studies (Outside Madras Presidency) |
Books used in the schools of Bellary district
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Ramayanum | Ramayana | Valmiki |
| Maha Bharata | Mahabharata | Vyasa |
| Bhagvata | Srimad Bhagavatam | Vyasa |
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Nagalingayna-Kutha | ? | ? |
| Vishvakurma-Poorana | Vishwa-Kurma Purana | ? |
| Kumalesherra Kalikamahata | ? | ? |
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Buwapoorana | ? | ? |
| Raghavan-Kunkauya | ? | ? |
| Geeruja Kullana | ? | ? |
| Unbhavamoorta | ? | ? |
| Chenna-Busavaswara-Poorana | ? | ? |
| Gurilagooloo | ? | ? |
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Punchatantra | ? | ? |
| Bhatalapunchavunsatee | ? | ? |
| Punklee-soopooktahuller | ? | ? |
| Mahantarungenee | ? | ? |
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Nighantoo | Nighantam | ? |
| Umara | ? | ? |
| Subdamumburee | ? | ? |
| Shubdeemunee-Durpana | ? | ? |
| Vyacurna | Vyakharana | ? |
| Andradeepeca | Andhra Deepika | ? |
| Andranamasungraha | Andhra Nama Sanghraha | ? |
Books used in the schools of Rajamundhiry
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Baula Ramauyanum | Bala Ramayanam | ? |
| Rookmeny Culleyanum | Rukmini Kalyanam | ? |
| Paurejantahpatraranum | ? | ? |
| Molly Ramauyanum | ? | ? |
| Raumayanum | Ramayanam | Valmiki |
| Dansarady Satacum | ? | ? |
| Kreestna Satacum | Krishna Shatakam | ? |
| Soomaty Satacum | Sumathi Shatakam | ? |
| Janakey Satacum | Janaki Shatakam | ? |
| Prasunnaragara Satacum | ? | ? |
| Ramataraka Satacum | Rama Taraka Shatakam | ? |
| Bahscara Satacum | Bhaskara Shatakam | ? |
| Beesanavecausa Satacum | ? | ? |
| Beemalingaswara Satacum | BhimaLingeshwara Shatakam | ? |
| Sooreyanaraina Satacum | SuryaNarayana Shatakam | ? |
| Narraina Satacum | Narayana Shatakam | ? |
| Plaholanda Charatra | Prahalada Charithra | ? |
| Vasoo Charatra | Vasu Charithra | ? |
| Manoo Charetra | Manu Charithra | ? |
| Sumunga Charetra | ? | ? |
| Nala Charetra | Nala Charithra | ? |
| Vamana Charetra | Vamana Charithra | ? |
| Ganintum | Ganitham | ? |
| Pauvooloory Ganintum | Pavuluri Ganitham | ? |
| Bhauratam | Bharatham | ? |
| Bhaugavatum | Bhagavatham | ? |
| Vejia Valousum | ? | ? |
| Kroostnaleelan Velausum | ? | ? |
| Rathamathava Velausum | ? | ? |
| Suptama Skundum | Sapta Ma Skhandam | ? |
| Astma Skundum | Ashta Ma Skhandam | ? |
| Rathamathava Sumvadum | Ratha Madhava Samvaadam | ? |
| Bhaunoomaly Paranayem | Bhanumathi Parayanam | ? |
| Veerabhadra Vejayem | Veerabhadra Vijayam | ? |
| Leelansoondary Paranayem | LeelaSundari Parayanam | ? |
| Amarum | Amaram | ? |
| Sooranthanaswarum | ? | ? |
| Voodeyagapurvem | ? | ? |
| Audepurvem | ? | ? |
| Gajandra Motchum | Gajendra Moksham | ? |
| Andhranamasungraham | Andhra Nama Sanghraham | ? |
| Coochalopurksyanum | ? | ? |
| Resekajana Manobharanum | RasikaJana ManoBharanam | ? |
Books used in colleges of Rajamundhiry
| Vedas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
| Roogvadum | Rig Veda | ? |
| Yajoorvadum | Yajur Veda | ? |
| Samavadum | Sama Veda | ? |
| Sroudum | Srotram | ? |
| Dravedavedum or Nunlauyanum | Dravida Vedam/? | ? |
| Kavyas | ||
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
| Ragoovumsam | Raghuvamsam | ? |
| Coomarasumbhavem | Kumara-Sambhavam | ? |
| Moghasundasem | Moha-sandesham | ? |
| Bharavy | ? | ? |
| Maukhum | Moham? | ? |
| Nayeshadum | Naishadam ? | ? |
| Andasastrum | Anda Shastram ? | ? |
| Shastras | ||
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
| Sanskrit Part-1: Sidharuba/Sarasvada (Sanskrit Speaking) | ? | ? |
| Sanskrit Part-2: Vyakharana (Sanskrit Syntax) | ? | ? |
| Sanskrit Part-3: AmaraSimha (Sanskrit Dictionary) | Moha-sandesham | ? |
| Siddhanda Cowmoody | Siddhanta Khaumudi | ? |
| Turkum | Tarkam | ? |
| Jeyoteshem | Jyotisha | ? |
| Durmasastrum | Dharmasastra | ? |
| Cauveyems | Kavya | ? |
1776-89 - Malabar data - Paulinus of St. Bartholomew
Paulinus was an Austrian Carmelite missionary who visited India in late 18th century and published the first translation of Sanskrit Grammar in Europe. In his account, he noted that, atmost respect for teacher, worship of Shiva in Linga form, worship of Ganesha, Saraswathi were common in places of learning.
He also noted the religiosity of Hindus thus:
"...for among 2000 Indians you will scarcely find one who is not convinced of the necessity of supplicating the gods. Education, and the nature of the climate, are the strongest incitements to the natives to worship the deity, and to submit themselves to his will".
He recorded that Brahmacharis at Thrissur temple observed strictest silence (Mauna) for a prescribed number of years (5 years). He also declared that Pythagoras borrowed this idea and subjected his students to identical years of silence.
| Foreign term | Native Name | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Poetry, Gavya | Kavya | ? |
| Fencing, Payatta | (Kalari) Payattu | ? |
| Botany and medicine, Vaydyassastra, or Bheszagiashastra | VaidyaShastra and ? | ? |
| Navigation, Naushastra | Naushastra | ? |
| Hastiludium, Cundera | ? | ? |
| Ball play, Pandacali | ? | ? |
| Chess, Ciudarangam | Chaturangam | ? |
| Tennis, Coladi | ? | ? |
| Logic, Tarkashastra | TarkaShastra | ? |
| Astrology, Giodisha | Jyotisha | ? |
| Law, Svadhyaya | Svadhyaya | ? |
| Silence, Mauna | Mauna | ? |
1835-38 - Bengal Presidency data - William Adam
Bengal presents an interesting facet of Hindu education that schools did not have numerical grades like 1st Grade, 2nd Grade etc. Another interesting point to note is that since Bengal was under British rule for a much longer time than rest of India, it had already introduced courses to write letters/petitions etc in late elementary classes, which are not found in the records of British from other areas.
The duration of elementary education was flexible overall and it was divided into 4 stages:
| Stage | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 10 days | Akshara abhyasam (writing in ground with fingers or bamboo stick) |
| Stage 2 | 2.5 to 4 years | Writing (Palm leaves), Reading, Memorizing the Cowrie Table, the Numeration Table as far as 100, the Katha Table (a land measure Table), and the SerTable etc |
| Stage 3 | 2 to 3 years | Writing (Plantain leaves), Addition, Subtraction, Arithmetic rules |
| Stage 4 | Up to 2 years | Writing (Paper), Ramayana, Mansa Mangal etc, Writing of letters and petitions |
Courses offered in Institutions of Sanskritic learning
Grammar Logic Law Literature Mythology Astrology Lexicology Rhetoric Medicine Vedanta Tantra Mimansa Sankhya
1882 - Punjab Presidency data - G.W.Leitner
Punjab was the last of the native janapadas to accede to the British Raj. It is probable that due to this prolonged independence, Hindu educational content was well-documented in Punjab. Books used in schools: LIST OF SANSCRIT BOOKS USED Balbodh Akshar dipika
I. GRAMMAR Saraswat Manorama Chandrika Bhashya Laghu Kaumudi Paniniya Vyakaran Kaumudi Siddhant Kaumudi Shekar Prakrita Prakasa
II. LEXICOLOGY Amar Kosh Malini Kosh Halayudh
III. POETRY, THE DRAMA AND RELIGIOUS HISTORY RaghuVans Mahabharat MeghDuta Venisanhara Magh Sakuntala Kirat Arjun Naishadha Charita Ramayan Mrichhakatika Sri Mad Bhagwat Kumara Sambhava and other Puranas
IV. RHETORIC Kavya Dipik Kavya Prakash Sahitya Darpana Dasu Rupa Kuvlayanund
V. MATHEMATICS, ASTRONOMY, AND ASTROLOGY Siddbant Shiromani Nil Kanthi Mahurta Chintamani Brihat Jatak Shighra Bodh Parasariya Garbh Lagana
VI. MEDICAL SCIENCE Sham Raj Nighant Susruta Sharang Dhar Charaka Bhashya Parichehed Madhava Nidan Vagbhat
VII. LOGIC Nyaya Sutra Vritti Gada dhari Vyutpattivad Tarkalankar Tark Sangrah Kari kavali
VIII. VEDANT Atma Bodh Sarirak Panch Dashi
IX. LAW Manu Smriti Parasara Smriti Yagya Valk Gautama Mitakshara
X. PHILOSOPHY Sankhya Tatwa Kaumudi Patanjali Sutra Britti Sutra with Bhashya Sankhya Pravachan Bhashya Vedanta, Vedantsar (see Yoga Sutra also above) Vaiseshika Siddhant Mimansa Sutra with Bhashya Muktavali Sutra with a commentary Artha Sangraha
XI. PROSODY Srut Bodh Vritta Ratnakar
XII. PROSE LITERATURE Hitopadesa Vasavadatta Dasa Kumara Charita
XIII. RELIGION Rigveda Sanhita (rare) Samaveda, Mantra Bhaga Yajurveda, Shukla Yajur Chhandasya Archika (very rare) Vajasneyi Sanhita
Curriculum in the post-Independence era
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Curriculum in the Modern era
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References
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