Page 11 - july-september-2019

VOL. 16 No. 2
Southern Splendours

Southern India was an important hub of religious academics. Vedic learning formed an essential part
of education and the tradition is still alive at some learning centres in the south.

OLDEST VEDiC SCHOOL!

Vadakke Madham Brahmaswam is a traditional Vedic
institution at Thrissur, Kerala, which was established by
the disciples of Adi Shankracharya. The institution teaches
Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Samveda in the traditional oral way,
preserving age old Vedic chanting. The institute functions
like a gurukul and is the oldest Vedic school in India.
VEDiC pATHSHALA

People in Mattur village of Karnataka converse in Sanskrit,
lead a Vedic lifestyle and chant the ancient texts. The entire
village is built like an agrahara and has a pathshala. At
this pathshala, the Vedas are chanted in the traditional way.
The students learn them in their five-year course under the
careful supervision of village elders. Mattur has produced
over 30 Sanskrit professors!

Illustration by: Anshika Kesarwal, VIII A, Scholars Home, Dehradun
SANGAM SAGA
TEMpLES THAT TAuGHT During the Sangam Age, individual teachers educated
The village of Salotgi in Bijapur district of students in their courtyard, called pyal. As the
Karnataka was a famous centre, probably of teacher's outreach increased, the house was used
Vedic learning, in the 10th and 11th centuries as a palli (school) for a larger number of children.
CE. The Sanskrit college that flourished at this
place must have existed for a long time. The The students wrote on dried palm leaves which
college was located in a spacious hall, attached were bundled with a string called Olai and the
to the temple of Trayi-Purusha. The strength bundle of leaves was called Swadi. The pen, called
of the college is not known, but it seems that Eluthini, was a kind of long and sharpened thick
27 houses were necessary for lodging the needle with a wooden handle.
students. ACTiViTY: MAkiNG A MANuSCRipT
A Grammar College at Tiruvottiyur in Tamil Nadu
was built in memory of Panini. During the 13th century Try and make a manuscript using recycled paper
there was also a big grammar college in Chingleput and write the story of your school in
district in Tamil Nadu. The college was located in a big hall your local language using a fountain
adjoining the local Shiva Temple. There was also a Vedic pen or a brush. Tie it up together
college set up by the Cholas in Ennayiram. using a string and some beads.

ACTiViTY: ONE RHYME, AT A TiME
Zero! Zero! Zero! APJ Abdul Kalam was the greatest educationist of the
Invented by a hero 21 century who taught us simplicity, humanity and
st
Aryabhatta was a hero, who invented zero integrity!
and don’t forget, to be a hero you must first have Write a poem about your favourite educational
to become a zero institution or teacher, following a rhyme scheme.
We all are science fans
But in science don’t forget our missile man arham imaad, Vi C, summer Fields school, Kailash Colony,
New Delhi

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