Gurukul Culture: A Pinnacle of Ancient Education During the 19th century, while the first modern school was opening in England (1811), India boasted a thriving Gurukul system with over 7,32,000 institutions spread across 7,50,000 villages. These Gurukuls were centers of holistic learning, offering education in scientific, professional, and cultural disciplines. Subjects ranged from Agni Vidya (Metallurgy) to Astronomy, Medicine, Agriculture, and Mechanics. Education was free, funded by the community, and deeply rooted in Sanatan Dharma.

Macaulay’s Impact on Indian Education The downfall of the Gurukul system began with the British colonization. Lord Macaulay, in his infamous education reforms of 1835, introduced the English education system. He stated that to colonize India permanently, it was necessary to dismantle its indigenous education system. Under his influence:

Gurukuls were declared illegal, Sanskrit was sidelined, and teachers were penalized. Convent schools were introduced to replace Gurukuls, beginning in Kolkata with the “Free School” system. Universities like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were established to propagate English education. Strategic Intentions Behind the Reforms Macaulay’s reforms aimed to create a class of Indians who were English in mindset but Indian in appearance. His objective was to produce individuals who would serve British colonial interests and diminish India’s self-reliance and cultural pride.

Impact on Indian Society The British policies systematically:

Suppressed traditional knowledge systems, leaving many ancient sciences undocumented. Created a sense of inferiority about Indian languages and traditions. Shifted focus from holistic education to rote learning suited for clerical and administrative work. Call for Revival Today, remnants of Macaulay’s strategy are evident in the Indian education system. Many young Indians are disconnected from their heritage, traditions, and native languages. However, efforts to revive Sanatan traditions and integrate them into modern education are growing.

Reclaiming India’s Heritage To truly flourish, Indian society must:

Embrace its cultural roots. Promote native languages and traditional knowledge alongside modern sciences. Reintroduce holistic education inspired by the Gurukul system. By doing so, India can reclaim the essence of its ancient education, fostering both scientific temper and cultural pride.

The first school in England opened in 1811 . At that time India had 732000 Gurukuls.

Find out how our Gurukuls got closed. How did Gurukul learning end. First will tell you what disciplines were taught in Gurukul culture (in the Sanatan culture) !

Most Gurukuls taught the following subjects.

All this education was taught in Gurukul, but with time, when Gurukul disappeared, this knowledge was made to disappear by the British! It started with Macaulay. Today, the future of the youth of our country is being destroyed by the Macaulay method.

How did Gurukul culture end in India? The introduction of Convent education ruined Gurukuls. Indian Education Act was formed in 1835 (revised in 1858). It was drafted by ‘Lord Macaulay’.

Macaulay surveyed the education system here while many Britishers gave their reports about India’s education system. One of the British officer was G.W. Luther and the other was Thomas Munro! Both of them had surveyed different areas at different times. Luther, who surveyed North India (Uttar Bhaarat), wrote that there is 97 % literacy here and Munro, who surveyed South India (Dakshin Bhaarat), wrote that here there is 100% literacy.

Macaulay had clearly said that if India (Bhaarat) is to be enslaved forever, its ′′indigenous and cultural education system ′′ must be completely demolished and replaced with ′′ English education system ′′ and only then will Indians be physically Indians, but mentally become English. When they leave the convent schools or English universities, they will work in the interest of British.

Macaulay is using an idiom – ′′ Just as a farm is thoroughly ploughed before a crop is planted, so must it be ploughed and brought in the English education system. ′′ That’s why he first declared Gurukuls illegal. Then he declared Sanskrit illegal and set the Gurukuls on fire, beat the teachers in it and put them in jail. Till 1850 there were ‘ 7 lakh 32 thousand ‘ Gurukuls & 7,50,000 villages in India. Meaning almost every village had a Gurukul and all these Gurukuls used to be ‘Higher Learning Institutes’ in today’s language. 18 subjects were taught in all of them and these people of Gurukul Samaj used to run these together, not by the king. Education was imparted free. Gurukuls were abolished and English education was legalized and the first convent school opened in Calcutta. That time it was called ‘free school’. Under this law, Calcutta University, Bombay University & Madras University were created. These three slavery-era universities are still in the country!

Macaulay had written a letter to his father. It is a very famous letter, in it he writes: ′′ These convent schools will bring out children who look like Indians but are English by brain and they don’t know anything about their country. They won’t know anything about their culture, they won’t have any idea about their traditions, they will not know their idioms, when such children are there in this country, even if the British go away, English will not leave this country.′′ The truth of the letter written at that time is clearly visible in our country even today. See the misery created by this act. We feel inferior of ourselves who are ashamed to speak our own language & recognise our own culture.

A society that is cut off from its mother tongue never flourishes and this was Macaulay’s strategy! Today’s youth here knows more about Europe than India. Considers Indian culture not so cool, but imitates Western country.

What a pity. It’s high time we all awaken & reclaim our great culture & heritage.