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CHAPTER-I SANSKRIT EDUCATION IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Introduction The present has its roots deeply established in the past. At the same time it develops into the future in diverse novel paths. Education is the system devised by the human beings to conserve, develop and transmit the knowledge from the past to the present and from the present to the future. Indians have inherited excellent traditions in literature, religion, jurisprudence, grammar, science and technology. Reason for the existence of such knowledge traditions was the unique system of education developed in India through the ages. The rich tradition of India is mostly rooted in Sanskrit. The knowledge in Sanskrit language and sastras was considered as the mark of true scholarship. Till the modern times education in India meant Sanskrit education. The history of education in ancient India could be traced back to the period of the Vedas. The Vedas have a history of about 3000 years of unbroken, oral type of education. Sanskrit is a highly revered language in India and abroad and as a classical language and a repertoire of Indian heritage and culture it has been subjected to serious study by Indologist everywhere. More over Sanskrit language is very closely related to modern

Indian languages and linguistics. But in this age of science and technology, Sanskrit education in India passes through a crisis. The attitude of modern educationists that Sanskrit is a dead language and it has nothing to offer for the development of India is one of the reasons for the rejection of Sanskrit. This attitude has its origin in the colonial policy of education. Another problem is the inability to reconcile traditional and modern knowledge and methods. These are reflected both in the formal and informal methods of education existing in the field of Sanskrit. In order to understand the problems and aspects of present day. Sanskrit education, it is necessary to put them in a correct historical perspective. This chapter is an attempt to view a brief history of Sanskrit education in India. Sanskrit education in Kerala is given a special treatment. This will give insight to the nature and scope of informal education in Sanskrit in which the traditional elements are involved and which is the topic of the present study. Methodology The successful completion of a research depends upon the appropriate type of methodology. Methodology has a vital role in the performance of any research. The present study is related to Sanskrit Education in Kerala. The methods of research relevant in the field of education are significant in this context. The researcher has to gather

3 information from teachers, students and other people concerned. It is designed to obtain precise information concerning the current status of a phenomenon. The purpose of the present study is to investigate into the informal education of Sanskrit in Kerala specially in the field of Ayurvedic. So the researcher has done this work adopting methods like survey etc. Survey includes the data regarding current condition which involve classification interpretation and generalization which are directed towards proper understanding and solution of significant educational problems. In the words of G.J Mouly 'Survey is essentially cross sectional study of what exist type" Field study methods are used in this study to collect, describes and analyse data. A descriptive study describes and interprets what is it is concerned with conditions or relationships that exist opinions that are held, process that are going on effects that are evident or trends that are developing. It is primarily concerned with the present. The Historical aspects of Sanskrit education described in this study are on the basis of authoritative texts produced on this subject. In the first chapter information are gathered mainly form books and articles and commission reports. In the second chapter for the definitions and agencies of informal education textual sources are mainly depended. The information received from the fieldwork method one used in chapters

4 three four and five. The combination of relevant methodologies may be found in this thesis in presenting the informal field of Sanskrit education in Kerala. Tools used for the study Questionnaire and interviews are the major tools used for the study. These are suitable for these type of research that requires social interaction. Questionnaires has the unique advantage of collecting data both qualitative and quantitative information. It may serve as a most appropriate and useful data gathering device in the research project. It is used when factual information is desired. Therefore the investigator used questionnaire to gather data. Questionnaire A properly constructed and administrated questionnaire can serve as a most appropriate and useful data gathering device in research project. Questionnaire is a form prepared and distributed to secure response to certain questions are factual intended to obtain information about conditions or practices of which the respondent is presumed to have knowledge. It was to be used increasingly to enquire in the opinion and attitudes of a group.

5 The questionnaire has been prepared only after discussing the problem with the experts in the field of Sanskrit education. For the convenience of the study the questionnaire was prepared in the order of the objectives. Suitable modifications were made in the draft questionnaire on the basis of suggestions received from the experts. The questionnaire was prepared to collect data taking into consideration of the nature and type of students and teachers. Curriculum was relevant to the needs of students. The investigator selected a random sample of Ayurveda students studying final year BAMS and MD and teachers among the five government Ayurveda colleges and the Ayurveda doctors practicing independently. Interview Another tool used for the study to collect data was interview. John.W Best says "Interview is in a sense an oral questionnaire instead of writing the responses, the subject of interview gives the needed information orally and face to face" 2 So the investigator constructed a standard interview schedule to collect further data from the traditional experts and educators in the field of Veda, Jyotisa, Vastu, Ayurveda, Kutiyattam, Maruthukali, Music and so on.

6 This is a study in the area of informal education of Sanskrit with special reference to Ayurveda. Reliable sources and published works are very rare in this filed. The traditional scholars are age old persons and most of them reside in the village areas. The traditional Panditis are often reluctant to speak about their knowledge and to conduct interviews with them systematically is not at all an easy task. The researcher had to fix the appointments on dates convenient to them and approach the resource. person. For this purpose she had to conduct travel to various places. At the time of interview she recorded full text of interview. In some cases she would engage in the normal talk and write down the points. The information collected were analysed and properly arranged according to the different aspects of the topic investigated. Education is a major social problem in India, which is the second largest population in the world. Various modes of traditional education and the development of Western education attracted the attention of academicians and researchers. The percentage of illiteracy is very high in India and those who get higher education are very few. The policy of education has been revised by the government time to time to solve these problems. Formal and informal modes of education are prevalent in India. and the informal education is especially significant in the field of adult education.

7 There were serious studies in the filed of formal and adult education. Some of the studies were published as reports and books. But it is a fact that in the area of informal education, there are no enough. publications in the field of Sanskrit education which has very long and continuous history. Research has been going on in various university departments researches on Indian education often begins from the colonial times. Recent education in Ancient and medieval India are the subjects of serious study. Some of the Books written on these subjects cover education during the Vedic period, Buddhist period, the Medieval Hindu education and Muslim education. Radhakumud Mookerji in her work Ancient Indian EducationBrahmanical and Buddhist (1948) gives details about the educational aims and objectives educational institutions methods etc from the vedic period to Buddhist period. A. S. Altekar in his work Education in Ancient India (1948) explains the details about the ancient Indian education, its aims and objectives, various educational methods, duties and relationship of students and teachers S. Nurullah and J.P Naik in the work A History of Education in India. During the British Period (1951) gives details about the beginning and establishment of western education during the time of the British period. He briefly explains an account of the traditional education also.

8 P.N Ojha, Aspects of Medieval Indian Society and Culture (1973) gives details about the Indian society during the times of Medieval period and its educational and cultural development and development of literature including Sanskrit. R.C. Majumdar is a great historian gives details about the history of ancient India upto Buddhist period and also mentions about the Indian Education including Sanskrit in his works Ancient India (1997) S. S. Sharma has conducted a study Teaching and Development of Sanskrit (1993) and explains and evaluates critically the development of Sanskrit education in India upto modern period. A study conducted by Dr. Gangadhar Pandey explores the Sanskrit education and its modification that existed in schools colleges in Orissa upto the modern period in his work Sanskrit education in Orissa (1995) Dharampal conducted a study of indigenous Indian education in the Eighteenth century and it is known as The Beautiful Tree (1995) he conducted a survey of Indigenous education in the Madras presidency including Malabar and collected the data about the indigenous elementary education, indigenous school learning, details of institutions of Sanskrit learning and books used in Sanskrit studies. Santhosh Kumar Das conducted one study about the Educational System of the Ancient Hindus (1996) and he explained aims of education

9 in ancient Hindus, Educational centres agencies of education and effects of the educational system of the ancient hindus etc in a very detailed manner. N.L Gupta explains in his work Educational Ideals and Institutions in Mahabharata (1997) various institutions, aims and ideals of education curriculum, methods of education etc. Suresh C. Ghosh in his work History of Education in India (2007) gives details about the Indian education during the time of ancient India 3000 BC to 1192 AD, Medieval India 1192 AD to 1757 AD and modern India from 1757 to 1999. Sanskrit education commission reports of Sunith Kumar Chatterji (1956-57) gives a detailed account of states of Sanskrit education in the Independent India and gives important suggestions for the betterment of Sanskrit education. Dr. Radhakrishnan Commission (1948-49), Mudaliar Commission (1952-53), Sunithi Kumar Chatterji (1956-57), Kothari Commission (1964- 66), National Policy on Education (1986) makes several statements about the Sanskrit education in the country. About the Sanskrit education in Kerala valuable information are available from the works of historians of Sanskrit literature like Ulloor S. Paremeswara lyyar, Vadakumkur Raja Raja Varma etc.

10 William Logan point out the details of educational system in Malabar during the British period in the two volumes of Malabar Manual (1951). Mathew M Kuzhiveli wrote in his book Praceena Kerala Vidhyabhysam (1956) details about the History of Kerala education methods of education, types of institutions etc. Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai gives details on education in Ancient Kerala in Studies in Kerala History (1970) specially types of educational institutions, teachings, methods, subjects of study etc.. Ullur S. Parameswara lyyar gives the details of the education system of Kerala both ancient and medieval up to the 19th century in the first volume of Kerala Sahitya Caritram (1970) and in the 6th volume of the same book, he explains the Kerala system of education during the time of 1850 to 1900 AD. A. Sreedhara Menon who explains the Kerala culture, society modes of life, believes customs, literature, cultural organisations etc.. in his Social and Cultural history of Kerala (1979) gives information about education prevailed in Kerala during the ancient and medieval times.

11 Sreedhara Menon narrates the Kerala educational history and its developments, various types of educational Institutions etc in his book Kerala History (1980). Bharatiya Vidyabhyasam Caritravum Vartamanakala Prasnangalum (1989) written by Sankaran Thayat explains and discusses the problems faced by Indian Education. P. Baskaranunni the author of Pathonpatham Noottantile KeralamA study (1998) gives details about the various subjects like food, dress, house customs, temples, tax, various social movement and educational development of Kerala during the 19th century. K.G. Paulose discusses Sanskrit education in Kerala in a chapter in his work Varaprasadam (2005). Poovattur N. Ramakrishna Pillai in his work Kerala Samskrta Vijnanakosam (2006) gives valuable information related to Sanskrit education, traditional and modern Sanskrit scholars, Gurukulas, Sanskrit Colleges etc.. This encyclopaedia is very helpful to the research scholars. Report of the Sanskrit education in Kerala schools (1973) N.V Krishna Varier give valuable information about the Sanskrit education in Kerala. So it is a reliable source to the research scholars and experts. K. R. Harinarayanan, has submitted the thesis Development of Sanskrit

12 Education in Kerala from 1850-1950 AD. - A Survey, in the department of education, IASE Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati in 1999 and Sankaranarayanan P. K., has submitted a thesis titled 'Sanskrit Studies in Kerala Twentieth Century Scenario', in the Department of Sanskrit Sahitya, S.S.U.S. Kalady, 2009, which gives details about the Sanskrit education in Kerala. Some books in the field of educational theory also deserve special mention. Thomas J. Labelle in his book Formal Non formal and Informal Education- A Holistic Approach to Life Long Learning (1982) explains the difference and inter relationship of formal, non formal and informal education and gives details about the process of life long learning. Adult Education - Principles Practice and Prospects (1986) written by C.L. Kundu explains the aims and objective of adult education, and its functions and features in a very detailed manner. Jeffs T. and Smith M.K in his work Informal Education Conversation Democracy and Learning (1996) gives details about the informal education and its functions and possibilities in the society.