learning education – A Learning Leader

Revival of an oldest University-The Nalanda!

09/18/2020 A Learning Leader

Nalanda has been an epitome of education once! Every educationalist should know what was and what is Nalanda?

The story of Nalanda -the first university

Nalanda (ISO: Nālandā, pronounced [naːlən̪d̪aː]) was an ancient Mahavihara (university), a revered Buddhist monastery which also served as a renowned centre of learning, in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) in India. The university of Nalanda obtained significant fame, prestige and relevance during ancient times, and rose to legendary status due to its contribution to the emergence of India as a great power around the fourth century. The site is located about 95 kilometres (59 mi) southeast of Patna near the city of Bihar Sharif, and was one of the greatest centres of learning in the world from the fifth century CE to 1200 CE. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries, and later under Harsha, the emperor of Kannauj. Kumara Gupta was the one who established this university primarily, a Buddhist monastery that worked as a university set up at Bihar was an important center of learning long before Oxford, Cambridge, and Europe’s oldest university Bologna was founded.

Can anyone believe the array of subjects which were taught in this prestigious institution like Nalanda? The Subjects like vedas, theology, grammar, logic, astronomy, metaphysics, medicine, and philosophy were taught in those times?

Much of our knowledge of Nalanda comes from the writings of pilgrim monks from Asia, such as Xuanzang and Yijing, who traveled to the Mahavihara(university) in the 7th century CE.

Nalanda was destroyed three times but was rebuilt only twice. It was ransacked and destroyed by an army of the Mamluk Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate under Bakhtiyar Khalji in c. 1200 CE. While some sources note that the Mahavihara continued to function in a makeshift fashion after this attack, it was eventually abandoned all together and forgotten until the 19th century, when the site was surveyed and preliminary excavations were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India. Systematic excavations commenced in 1915, which unearthed eleven monasteries and six brick temples neatly arranged on grounds 12 hectares (30 acres) in area.

The university in its golden period attracted renowned scholars from all over Asia, surviving for hundreds of years before being destroyed by invaders in 1193.

RESURRECTION of the lost most renowned and prestigious university

In 1951, the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (New Nalanda Mahavihara), a modern centre for Pali and Buddhism in the spirit of the ancient institution, was founded by the Government of Bihar near Nalanda’s ruins at the suggestion of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first president. It was deemed to be a university in 2006.

The idea of Nalanda as an international center of learning is being restored by a group of statesmen and scholars headed by the Nobel prize-winning economist, Amartya Sen.1 September 2014 saw the commencement of the first academic year of a modern Nalanda University, with 15 students, in nearby Rajgir.

It has been established in a bid to revive the ancient seat of learning. The university has acquired 184 hectares (455 acres) of land for its campus and has been allotted ₹27.3 billion (equivalent to ₹35 billion or US$490 million in 2019) by the Indian government. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was appointed as the first chancellor of this operational university. It is also being funded by the governments of China, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and others.

Nalanda university today not only speaks of the kind of education we had centuries ago but the importance of having a large education center could ward off all the distraction which could affect a youngster at that age.

As an Indian we should be proud that we were the first in the world to have a university which benefited students from all over the world .We are the ones who brought enlightenment of knowledge and wisdom in ignorance.

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Story credit : Pooja

Education, HIndi, short stories, skills

Folktales-4

08/20/202008/20/2020 A Learning Leader

How truthful we are to our goals ? Do we exactly decide and tell what is our aim? A dilemma between what we want to achieve and what we put on display to the world is always present in front of a person.

A small Indian folktale, showing the importance of being truthful to our aims and goals…

लघुकथा

“लक्ष्य अवश्य तय कर लें।”

एक बार एक व्यक्ति गहरे जंगल में तपस्या करने गया। दिन रात तपस्या करने लगा। उसने दिनभर हवन करने के लिए हवन सामग्री मंगाई और हवन करने लगा। मन्त्रों से देवी को प्रसन्न करने की भरसक कोशिश करने लगा। जंगल में राख के ढेर लगते चले गए परंतु देवी प्रकट नहीं हुई। पर उस व्यक्ति ने हवं बंद नहीं किया।

एक दिन उज्जैन के महाराज विजरामदित्य अपने लाव लश्कर के साथ उस जंगल से होकर जा रहे थे कि अचानक उनकी नजर एक शिकार पर पड़ी। उन्होंने शिकार का पीछा किया और महाराज विक्रमादित्य रास्ता भटक गए। वे उस तपस्वी की ओर निकल गए, उनके संगी साथी बिछुड़ गए। कुछ दूरी पर उन्होंने आश्चर्यजनक दृश्य देखा कि जग जगह राख के ढेर देखे। वो सोचने लगे कि इतने गहरे जंगल में इतनी सारी राख कहाँ से आयी। राख के ढेर क्यों लगे हैं।

महाराज आगे बढे तो देखा कि एक अतिवृद्ध व्यक्ति संत के वेश में हवन कर रहा है, लगातार मन्त्रों का उच्चारण करता जा रहा है। उन्होंने जाकर प्रणाम किया और पूछा “संत महाराज, इस घोर जंगल में राख कहाँ से आई है।” तपस्वी ने कहा, “राजन, मैं मेरे यौवनकाल से अब तक बहुत वर्षों से देवी भगवती की आराधना कर रहा हूँ।” विक्रमादित्य राजा ने पूछा, “क्षमा करें महाराज, इतने लंबे समय तक देवी की आराधना और हवन का लक्ष्य और ध्येय क्या हो सकता है?” इस पर उस संत ने उत्तर दिया “मैं ये हवन देवी के दर्शन के लिए कर रहा हूँ मगर देवी माँ ने अभी तक नहीं दिए हैं। पता नहीं क्या भूल हो रही है।”

राजा को यह बात सुनकर आश्चर्य हुआ कि इन संत महाराज को इतनी लंबी तपस्या के बाद भी देवी माँ के दर्शन नहीं हुए, ऐसा क्यों?” महाराज ने बहुत सोचा मगर कुछ समझ में नहीं आया। महाराज विक्रमादित्य न्यायप्रिय राजा थे और ईश्वर में अटूट विश्वास रखते थे। उन्होंने संकल्प किया कि संत महाराज को देवी माँ के दर्शन तो होने ही चाहिए। राजा ने म्यान में से तलवार निकाली और बोले “माँ ये जीवन आपका दिया हुआ है, आपके किसी बच्चे की इच्छा पर उसे दर्शन न हो तो जीवन का क्या लाभ?”

तलवार को घुमाकर अपनी गर्दन पर रख दिया और काटने को तैयार हुए कि देवी माँ प्रकट हो गई। बोली, “विक्रमादित्य तुम सत्यवादी, धर्मनिष्ठ, प्रजापालक, और गुणी हो, फिर भी आत्महत्या जैसा जघन्य अपराध कर रहे हो।” राजा ने कहा माँ ये संत इतने लंबे समय से आपकी आराधना कर रहा है, सारा जीवन तपस्या लीन रहा, परंतु आपने दर्शन नहीं दिए जबकि मेरे प्राण बचाने के लिए प्रकट हो गई। इसका क्या कारण है?”

देवी माँ ने राजा को बताया “ये संत दोगला है, झूठ बोल रहा है। इसका ध्येय मेरा दर्शन कर आ नहीं है,बल्कि मुझसे पारस पत्थर पाना चाहता है ताकि मन चाहे जीतना सोना बनाये। इसका ध्येय मेरा दर्शन करना होता तो मैं कब की ही प्रकट हो गई होती।”

दोस्तो, कमोवेश यही हम सबकी कहानी है, हम भी अपनी इच्छाओं को छिपाकर दूसरों को कुछ का कुछ कहते हैं। कहते कुछ हैं और ध्येय कुछ होता है। लक्ष्य से भटक जाते है। इसलिये हमारा मन और आत्मा से लक्ष्य निर्धारण होना चाहिये।

Story credit:

Mr. Dalchand

A Storyteller by heart

Storytelling has its own charm in learning and teaching. Native stories make a strong impact, with ease of understanding as they are deep rooted in culture and community. Hindi being my mother tongue never left its space in my heart. I strongly believe that in early childhood teaching in mother tongue is definitely the easiest way to reach to a child’s heart.

Indian folklore has been passed through generations over the centuries, with the words of wisdom which benefit young and old equally. I plan to share these short stories aka folk tales every once in a while to my audience, use them as a warm up activity, lunch break filler, going home time activity or simply read to your own children. Stories have their own magic!

If you have come this far you must have liked the post so if you enjoyed this post don’t forget to like, follow, share and comment!

Education, school, skills

An open letter to parents-1

08/09/202008/10/2020 A Learning Leader

Dear parents,

The school has come to your home, but learning doesn’t have to limit itself to sitting in front of computer/laptops or mobile phones.

Lock down has brought in a new definition to Schooling and learning at home. While schools have come to home in order to ensure that your child doesn’t miss on anything in academics.

A school offers so much more than mere core subject teaching. Your child is inspired and motivated to be creative in writing, public speaking, presentation, games, sports, leadership, and whatnot?

As school is a place for holistic education.How do we compensate while being at home, learning of core subjects continues via online video apps such as zoom, teams etc., yet Parents need to ensure that their child’s creativity keeps flourishing.

Encourage your child to read more, write more and let them write from heart!

Their writings don’t have to be structured or perfect but it should be meaningful to them. You will be surprised by their work , what they produce with little bit of freedom.

Here is one example of how your child can express herself .