About Gurukula
The word Gurukula refers to as,Home of an Acharya, schooling is residential in nature where children from different cross sections of society live,study,eat and play together.Acharyas and students live here as members of one family.The food here is Satwik and students wear traditional dress .
A Backdrop
The ancient system of education consists of the following salient features: education was given free to all deserving persons. Kings and emperors used to devote a part of their wealth to further the cause of education, especially the Gurukula system of education. They did not interfere with the functions of Gurukulas. We can recall with pride the contributions of such eminent emperors like Sri Harsha, Pulakeshin II, Nrupatunga and Krishnadevaraya for the cause of Gurukulas.
Type of living
The Guru and his pupils used to live under a common roof as members of the same family. The Guru acted both as acharya and father. Equal opportunities were available to learn this-worldly education and Brahma-Vidya (knowledge of the world beyond this manifest world). The methodology followed by the eminent teachers, among other items, included question answer method, observation, contemplation, meditation and generalization. Travel was also included as a part of the curriculum. Girls were given opportunity to learn the Vedas and acquire skills in different disciplines.
Historical Universities
The Buddhist monks established many universities. Mention may be made of the famous universities of Kashi, Nalanda, Prayag and Kanyakubya. Similarly in the South there were the Agrahars, Temples, Maths (centres of religious heads) and Ghatakas (learning centres).
Gurukul Activities
Discourses, discussions, comparative study and harmonising different aspects of branches of knowledge, etc were the salient features of the Gurukula system of learning. Unfortunately the ancient system of education, along with the vedic way of life no longer exist in their prestine purity. One may find their models here and there with great efforts. Despite considerable achievements in the fields of science and technology, the system of education that modern educationists have developed, has just enabled the present generation of students only to study and understand the physical aspects (external aspects) of the universe. It has failed to light the lamp that throws light on the internal aspects of man and he continues this struggle to accomplish the highest in his life. The real tragedy is that the external values embedded in our ancient vedas, upavedas, vedangas, upanishads, yoga, poetry and history have been deliberately relegated to the background and the concept of Universal Man has become a thing of the past. In other words, it has been discarded as no longer a relevant concept. The loss is incalculable. It is this situation that motivated the trustees to establish Om Shantidhama.