gurukula

The word {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukula}} is a combination of the Sanskrit words {{lang|sa-Latn|guru}} ('teacher' or 'master') and {{lang|sa-Latn|kula}} ('family' or 'home').{{Cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/4378166|title=Gurukula: A Family with Difference – An Exposition of the Ancient Indian System of Education|first=Kurian|last=Kachappilly|via=academia.edu}} The term is also used today to refer to residential monasteries or schools operated by modern gurus.{{Cite news |url= https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/varanasi-city-14292578.html |title=नित्यानंद ने 70 लोगों को दी दीक्षा |trans-title=Nithyananda initiated 70 people |work=Dainik Jagran |access-date=7 April 2018 |language=hi |quote=... [C]hildren of Swami Nithyananda's gurukul school demonstrated ....]}}

File:Arya Samaj Gurukul School boys performing Homa ritual 1915.jpg (1915)]]

{{See also|Sanskrit and Vedic learning}}

The {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukula}} system of education has been in existence since ancient times. The Upanishads (1000-800 BCE) mention multiple {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukulas}}, including that of guru Drona at Gurgaon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/did-you-know-the-true-story-behind-gurugram-253390.html|title=Did You Know The True Story Behind Gurugram?|date=April 13, 2016|website=IndiaTimes}} The {{lang|sa-Latn|Bhrigu Valli}} (a discourse on the Brahman) is said to have taken place in Guru Varuni's {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukula}}. The vedic school of thought prescribes the {{lang|sa-Latn|Upanayana}} (sacred rite of passage) to all individuals before the age of 8 at least by 12. From initiation until the age of 25 all individuals are prescribed to be students and to remain unmarried, a celibates.

{{lang|sa-Latn|Gurukulas}} were supported by public donations. This was followed by the many following Vedic thoughts making gurukul one of the earliest forms of public school centres.

{{Main article|Dharampal#Relevance}}

Dharampal was instrumental in changing the understanding of pre-colonial Indian education system.{{cite web |last=Kakkar|first=Ankur|date=2019-02-19|title=Remembering Dharampal's Seminal Contribution|url=https://indiafacts.org/remembering-dharampals-seminal-contribution/|access-date=2020-12-27|website=IndiaFacts|language=en-US}} Dharampal primary works are based on documentation by the colonial government on Indian education, agriculture, technology, and arts during the period of colonial rule in India.{{cite web |url=https://www.indictoday.com/reviews/dharampals-the-beautiful-tree-indigenous-traditional-indian-education-in-the-eighteenth-century/|title=Dharampal's 'The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Indian Education in the Eighteenth Century|date=22 December 2019}}{{cite journal |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/446501?journalCode=cer|title=Comparative Education Review Volume 29, Number 1 Feb. 1985|journal=Comparative Education Review|date=February 1985|volume=29|issue=1|pages=137–140|doi=10.1086/446501|last1=Basu|first1=Aparna|url-access=subscription}} His pioneering historical research, conducted intensively over a decade, provides evidence from extensive early British administrators’ reports of the widespread prevalence of indigenous educational institutions in Bombay, Bengal and Madras Presidencies as well as in the Punjab, teaching a sophisticated curriculum, with daily school attendance by about 30% of children aged 6–15.{{cite book |title=The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Indian Education in the Eighteenth Century |date=1995 |publisher=Keerthi Publishing House |language=en}}

By the colonial era, the system was on a steep decline in India. Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj and Swami Shraddhanand, were the pioneers of the modern {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukula}} system, who in 1886 founded now-widespread Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Public Schools and Universities.Gurukula Patrika, April–July, 1940-41, Ank 10, (12 June 1940), P.1Madalsa Ujjwal, 2008, "Swami Dayanand Saraswati Life and Ideas", Book Treasure Publications, Jodhpur, PP.96-97Gunjun H. Shakshi, 1971, "Social and Humanistic Life in India", Abhinav Publications, Delhi, PP.122-124.

In 1948, Shastriji Maharaj Shree Dharamjivan das Swami followed suit and initiated first Swaminarayan {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukul}} in Rajkot in Gujarat state of India. Recently, several {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukulam}} have opened up in India as well as overseas with a desire to uphold tradition.

Various {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukulas}} still exist in India, and researchers have been studying the effectiveness of the system through those institutions. With the advent of new means of mass communication, many gurus and Vedantic scholars are opening E-gurukul. These gurukuls are operating online and are now imparting knowledge about different Hindu scriptures using the internet.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/online-drive-promoting-vedas-vedic-education/articleshow/78414983.cms|title=Online drive promoting Vedas, Vedic education | Allahabad News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=October 2020 }}{{Cite web|title=GRD Iyers Home|url=https://grdiyers.weebly.com/|access-date=2021-03-16|website=GRD IYERS GURUCOOL|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Gurukul Online – Learn Vedic knowledge at your own place|url=https://gurukulonline.net/|access-date=2021-03-16|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=Yatendra|date=2020-06-03|title=RSS affiliate starts online Vedic Mathematics course for students|url=https://thedailyguardian.com/rss-affiliate-starts-online-vedic-mathematics-course-for-students/|access-date=2021-03-16|website=The Daily Guardian|language=en-US}}

In 1990, Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji founded Ananda Marga gurukula with its headquarters at Anandanagar, Dist Purulia, West Bengal, India and its branches all over the globe. {www.gurukul.edu} He nominated Acharya Shambhushivananda Avadhuta as its kulapati (chancellor) and formed a skeletal structure for spreading "neohumanist education" all over the globe.

The students learn from the guru and help the guru in his everyday life, including carrying out of mundane daily household chores. However, some scholars suggest that the activities are not mundane and very essential part of the education to inculcate self-discipline among students.{{Cite journal|last1=Joshi|first1=Ankur|last2=Gupta|first2=Rajen K.|date=July 2017|title=Elementary education in Bharat (that is India): insights from a postcolonial ethnographic study of a Gurukul|url=https://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=85390|journal=International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management|volume=15 |issue=1|pages=100–120|doi=10.1504/IJICBM.2017.085390|url-access=subscription}} Typically, a guru does not receive or accept any fees from the {{lang|sa-Latn|shishya}} studying with him as the relationship between a guru and the shishya is considered very sacred.{{Cite journal|last1=Joshi|first1=Ankur|last2=Bindlish|first2=Puneet|last3=Verma|first3=Pawan Kumar|date=2014-12-01|title=A Post-colonial Perspective towards Education in Bharat|journal=Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective|volume=18|issue=4|pages=359–363|doi=10.1177/0972262914552171|s2cid=144782215|issn=0972-2629}}

At the end of one's education, a {{lang|sa-Latn|shishya}} offers the guru {{lang|sa-Latn|dakshina}} before leaving the gurukula. The {{lang|sa-Latn|gurudakshina}} is a traditional gesture of acknowledgment, respect and thanks to the guru, which may be monetary, but may also be a special task the teacher wants the student to accomplish. While living in a {{lang|sa-Latn|gurukula}}, the students would be away from their home from a period of months to years at a stretch.

Through Gurukul, students used to learn self discipline, politeness, good humanism and spirituality that would assist them to be an enlightened person in the future.

• Dharampal a Gandhiain Scholar authored a book titled The beautiful tree: Indigenous Indian education in the eighteenth century{{Cite book|author=DHARAMPAL|url=https://archive.org/details/TheBeautifulTree-Dharampal|title=THE BEAUTIFUL TREE - DHARAMPAL|language=English}}
• Prof. Marmar Mukhopadhayay compiled a book titled Total Quality Management in Education deriving insights from ancient education system.{{Cite book|last=Mukhopadhyay|first=Marmar|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9789353885977|title=Total Quality Management in Education|date=2020|publisher=SAGE Publications Pvt Ltd|isbn=978-93-5388-281-5|location=New Delhi |doi=10.4135/9789353885977|s2cid=107904632}} He also devised concept of Multi-Channel Learning based on Gurukul Pedagogy.{{Cite journal|last1=Mukhopadhyay|first1=Marmar|last2=Parhar|first2=Madhu|date=November 2001|title=Instructional design in multi-channel learning system|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8535.00224|journal=British Journal of Educational Technology|volume=32|issue=5|pages=543–556|doi=10.1111/1467-8535.00224|issn=0007-1013|url-access=subscription}}
• Ankur Joshi authored a research papers titled - Elementary education in Bharat (that is India): insights from a postcolonial ethnographic study of a Gurukul,{{Cite journal|last1=Joshi|first1=Ankur|last2=Gupta|first2=Rajen K.|date=2017|title=Elementary education in Bharat (that is India): insights from a postcolonial ethnographic study of a Gurukul|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijicbm.2017.085390|journal=International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management|volume=15|issue=1|pages=100|doi=10.1504/ijicbm.2017.085390|issn=1753-0806|url-access=subscription}} A post-colonial perspective towards education in Bharat,{{Cite journal|last1=Joshi|first1=Ankur|last2=Bindlish|first2=Puneet|last3=Verma|first3=Pawan Kumar|date=December 2014|title=A Post-colonial Perspective towards Education in Bharat|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0972262914552171|journal=Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective|volume=18|issue=4|pages=359–363|doi=10.1177/0972262914552171|s2cid=144782215|issn=0972-2629|url-access=subscription}} and Delivering holistic education for contemporary times: Banasthali Vidyapith and the Gurukula system.{{Cite journal |last1=Sukhada |first1=N.A. |last2=Dhital |first2=Vishwanath |last3=Joshi |first3=Ankur |last4=Nandram |first4=Sharda S. |date=2021 |title=Delivering holistic education for contemporary times: Banasthali Vidyapith and the Gurukula system |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijbg.2021.10041910 |journal=International Journal of Business and Globalisation |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=222 |doi=10.1504/ijbg.2021.10041910 |s2cid=239219043 |issn=1753-3627|url-access=subscription }}

The gurukula system of education is available outside of India as well.

They are known as gurukul.

At the Jain Culture Center of Antwerp, children between the ages of 8 till 16 study Vedic mathematics, Art, Music, as well as Vedic Astrology, Jyotishi, Sanskrit and Yoga.

Children participate in this gurukul during holiday times at the traditional schools, for a week in October / November, 2 weeks during Easter break, and 1 month during summer break.

• Acharyakulam
• Akhara
• Akshaya Patra Foundation
• Ananda Marga Gurukula Teacher's Training College
• Convent school
• Education in India
• Ekal Vidyalaya
• Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya
• History of education in the Indian subcontinent
• Madrasa
• Swaminarayan Gurukul
• Uchi-deshi (a similar system in Japan)
• Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram
• Vidya Bharti

{{Reflist}}

• {{commonscatinline}}
• [https://vediconcepts.com/gurukul-list/ List of Gurukuls in India] (State-wise)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurukul}}

Category:School types

Category:Hindu education

Category:Vedic period