Gurukulam and Macaulay
I have written 31 points for you to go
through.
1. Macaulay is said to be responsible
for the education system we have. Yes the list you have shared is fairly true
but there are certain exaggerations and untruths [for lack of proof] perhaps
done in over enthusiasm.
2. Coming to why The Indian Gurukula
system or The famed Greek system did not or could not survive?
Where, why and how they gave room to
formal schooling based [mere] fundamental literacy imparting education system.
3. In fact for all
practical purposes in present day Macaulayan system is one of the best ladders
for social advancement and global acceptance or penetration.
It is this ability and willingness
of many Indians to not only adopt but to master the Macaulayan system that we
were a preferred destination for the IT outsourcing industry rather than China.
Incidentally, yesterday 9 out of the 11
top contestants for spelling Bee competition in USA are of Indian origin.
4. Just a brief history into the
roots of the modern education system that is prevailing. One
important aspect of well-known intention of
formal mass schooling was as Sugata Mitra said in a TED talk, ‘ The
British set out to create a big computer with which to operate their far-flung
possessions, an administrative machine made of interchangeable parts, each of
which happened to be human. In order to turn out those parts, they needed
another machine, an educational one, which would reliably produce people who
could read quickly, write legibly, and do all additions, subtractions,
multiplications in their head’. He adds, “They must be so identical that you can pick one up from New Zealand and
ship him to Canada and he would be instantly functional”.
5. According to “economic historian
Stephen Davies modern form of school started in 1806 in Prussia after the
defeat at the hands of Napoleon. There was teaching by year group rather than
ability, which made sense if the aim was to produce military recruits rather
than rounded citizens. Obedience and courage were emphasized. Set school day
with ringing of bells with predetermined syllabus rather than open ended
learning. Children sat at rows of desks in front of standing teachers unlike
walking around together as in ancient Greek or living with the Guru as in
ancient Bharathiya Gurukulams.
6. One can read Wikipedia entry on Horace Mann considered as one the founding
fathers of American Public education. He visited Prussia in 1843 and adopted
the system in 1852. “ Instilling values such as obedience, to authority,
promptness in attendance, and organizing the time according to bell ringing
helped students to prepare for future employment’. “The purpose was not to
raise standards but to turn unruly children into disciplined citizens”.
7. In the book Rebirth of Education
Lant Pritchett quotes frank admission by a 19th century Japanese
education minister : ‘ In administration of all schools, it must be kept in
mind, what is to be done is not for the sake of the pupil, but for the sake of
the country’.
8. Let me start the long winding
preamble with multiple diversions all generic but will touch upon critical or
vital or sensitive aspects of this whole Macualay versus Gurukula system.
Need a small
preamble before we debate on this and lot of diversion in that preamble to
broaden our perspective because the greatness of Sanathana Dharma is that it is
not governed by adherence exclusively to specific rules, to specific concepts,
specific practices, specific philosophies, specific ideologies and so on. On
the contrary it wide open to adopt and to evolve with certain inherent values
one of which constant seeking and looking for whatever enhances the tool to
live and enlightens living. It is in short a way of life and art of living.
9. Whether
we like it or not, in modern times, what has been made to be accepted as
authentic need to have any or some or all of the following in existence listed
below or cooked up and effectively pushed through reputed institutions or
writers.
A]
Documented authenticity
B]
Archaeological evidence
C]
Historical records
D] Literary
references in any language
E] If it
pertains to science or technology, then probable through experiments.
I think
these are fair enough to ensure to avoid imaginary claims and counter
claims.
10. Whatever
has had any impact or immense value or importance at any point of time in
any field in any place never gets erased as they leave their footprints
somehow.
11. In fact
most of the ancient philosophy we have got only through those means because our
ancestors never felt the need for documentation as they felt no need for anyone
to approve or endorse their works.
12. Many
research works have unearthed most of the treasures of our ancient times in
arts, science, literature etc.
13. Coming
to Macaulay, if you look at it without any bias, its unintended consequence has
been a greater boon which may far outweigh the temporary loss of certain
aspects of culture.
14. His
imposition of language has made our great and vast treasury of knowledge
accessible to the whole world.
15. It has
given an edge for Indians globally in science, commerce, economics, trade,
finance and many other fields.
16. Rather
we have adopted it so well not only to our advantage but to put across our
strengths and hitherto hidden treasures in an idiom that the West would
understand.
17. It is indeed a privilege to belong
to a rich heritage of culture, philosophy, scientific temper, social mores, and
spiritual insights and so on. No doubt we have pride of ancestry and hope for
the future.
18. But at the same time we must
also accept and acknowledge why? What? Who? Led us away from, not down
from, such rich heritage? We also need to look at practically what we must do
now, to gradually and diplomatically, not only resurrect our past glory but also
revive the areas in which the modern civilization needs to march ahead for a
bright future.
19. We must also question
ourselves how much of? Or what part of our past glory that we are proud of and
are willing to identify ourselves with, without disturbing our present life too
much? We have too many great observations, citations singing the glory and
greatness of India along with a crowd, and another one more vocal and visible,
which gets more recognition as well, which is keener on projecting certain ugly
aspects for particular audiences.
20. We are looked down as a nation
which can be easily led by emotional manoeuvring and manipulations,
euphemistically implying no one need to bother about the mental capacity and
identity of the nation.
This is because we very often
resort to uncritical love as when we deify some film stars, politicians and
make too many god men out of orators, scholarly interpreters of our scriptures,
heads of our mutts or resort to unloving criticism when we blame everything on
some outside force, as if out of xenophobia.
I have read and reviewed wonderful
books by many. Especially on this topic the books BECOMING INDIAN and BEING
INDIAN by PAVAN K. VARMA for frugal readers.
No one has blamed the British
cultural and linguistic intrusion along with the portrayal of our proud
heritage more lucidly than him.
21. Having said that, how many of
us can touch our heart and say that whole edifice created by the MaCaulay has
been destructive, has not contributed to our small growth story and it has been
only negative ?. Certainly not, every event, especially if it had any great
impact, which cannot be denied or ignored, must have taken place to either make
us undergo a specific experience or benefit.
22. So, in that way Macaulay's
system too had its hidden, rather I would say immense benefit for so many
generations of Indians. I am not saying his system is better or correct or more
appropriate for a nation like India. We cannot either deny or do away with the
fact that his system did penetrate and prevailed which probably gave employment
to millions of Indians then as clerks* now as software professionals; it has
enabled the great Indian talent to be shared by the whole world. I would like
to look at the positive contribution of Macaulay. I am not evaluating it in
comparison with the negative impacts it may have or has had.
23. However, what Macaulay failed
to pen down, of course he could not have, is a great trait, we as a nation and
a group of individuals practicing a particular way of life, called Sanathana
Dharma or Hinduism, have, namely, the willingness to imbibe and include
anything that leads to more sober and sophistic march in socio cultural
evolution and in addition we excel in what we have imbibed or included.
Be it the concept of
vegetarianism, be it ahimsa, be it forgiveness, be it changing our attire and
hair styles, be it changing our political systems, be it a foreign language, be
it another culture, be it a sport like cricket etc.
That’s why our leaders are able to
proudly declare that people from many nations may be in USA but Indians are in
several nations. It is our adaptability and ability to excel in what we have
adapted.
24. Real richness of our heritage,
our cultures, our traditions, our languages need to be pursued, perpetuated and
practiced but we need not suffer from paranoid reactions that they can be
destroyed by some years of occupation by rulers of different cultures,
religions, languages etc.
25. India has world’s
greatest number of people speaking English combining native and
non-native people who speak or understand English than any other country in the
world.
None of these facts have either
destroyed our religion or have destroyed our languages.
26. In fact for your info I shall share with a
group of highly focussed individuals who are working on resurrecting lakhs of
hitherto not known or not much publicised works they have already collected
more than a lakh of such manuscripts, literature, evidences and are documenting
them .
27. We are perhaps one of the most
advanced race to really live with a universal spirit, liberal mind [liberal
enough to include atheism as part of its religion] and global socio cultural
adaptability.
So let us also look positively
what and how Macaulay’s system contributed.
“The incidental benefits
that this single individual’s [Macaulay’s] dictate imparted to people, who were
practicing Sanathan Dharma, and to the rest of the world far outweighs the
smaller changes in life styles and traditions that it may have caused as a
collateral damage”.
28. We
need to look at a Brief journey of civilization.
In very simplistic terms the earliest known periods
of civilization human beings had less communication, less information, less
knowledge, more brutality, more animalistic life style like cannibalism and a
series of wars with little to care about
the requirements of resources for usage and survival; it was followed by greedy
instinct to have and to possess more resources and areas leading to too many
silly wars; followed by collective emotional entertainments leading to many
traditional and cultural art forms; followed by urge to communicate leading to
reduction in number of languages so that more people could be communicated to
and that’s why while everything else in nature and society proliferated in
number, languages alone kept reducing in number from several
thousands to a few hundreds and even out of these few hundred only some 20 plus
are in great use now ; then civilization was pulled by fear or
curiosity to know the unknown aspects of life leading to creation of many belief
systems, faiths, religions and rituals; followed by parleys into experimenting
with different social systems/political systems to live together with
justifiable contribution to and to share from/of the resources; followed
by scientific discoveries to enhance understanding and help living comfortably
and to lead a life away from and besides the clutches of religions and
traditions; followed by the recent centuries of dominance based on initially
economic and commercial prosperity which are treated as the religions of
present age and to achieve this by various means at national levels
through discoveries of more resources and raw materials useful for human life,
through real industrialization, improved and increased agricultural production or
through dominance by military power trying to loot readymade where these things
are available and at individual level trying to equip oneself in the best
possible manner to decently survive in this rat race of achieving economic and
commercial prosperity. This is of course definitely the only one aspect of life
but a very vital aspect of social living at present.
The march of civilization through all these various
stages have produced in its stride many collateral damages and incidental
benefits as well as thrown up excellent exponents in various domains of life.
29. One of the collateral damage of the predominant
factor of present age, namely economic and commercial prosperity, is
very stressful and cut throat competition in all walks of life and therefore
comparison which cannot be wished away. Though we can always choose not to be
affected and/or influenced by it or try our best and vie with the rest to
become the best. Choice is always ours.
30. The Western civilization by its very nature has
always psychologically pursued and socially enforced homogenization. That has
been their modus operandi. It has worked for them to their advantage in certain
areas and caused misery for the rest in certain areas. They have struck to that
without realizing that nature is a manifestation variety with an underlying
unity and this is one of the main reason why peace and harmony are eluding
human society.
Let us touch our hearts and without any prejudice,
populism pandering preaching plainly acknowledge the benefits we have reaped
through Macaulay’s system, the English
tongue etc.
31. The benefits that this single individual’s
[Macaulay’s] dictate imparted to people, who were practicing Sanathan Dharma,
and to the rest of the world far outweighs the smaller changes in life styles
and traditions that it may have caused as a collateral damage.
I shall elucidate just a few examples of these
benefits confining myself to the Indian and Sanathan Dharmic arena.
All the tall leaders who were part of freedom
struggle could negotiate/interact with the colonial rulers were those who
became very proficient in the Macaulayan system of
education starting from Mahathma gandhiji who inspired many top leaders in the
world, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar- a stalwart and a man of great erudition to
Chakravarthi Rajaji to Dr.S.Radhakrishnan etc.
All knowledge of the intrinsically
important aspects of Sanathan Dharma, namely the concepts and philosophical and
scientific inquiries into life and cosmos were brought in the arena of the
outer world [beyond the confines of particular groups and a few selected monks]
through great Swami Vivekananda a person who was a great master of Macaulayan
system.
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