द ब्यूटीफुल ट्री: १८वीं सदी में भारत की स्वदेशी गुरुकुल शिक्षा (धर्मपाल)

respectable pundits of the place, who invariably taught at their houses or in the tols attached to them, where the pupils were all lodged partly at their own expense and partly at the expense of their preceptors. The total number of pupils who were at that time so circumstanced amounted to about 380; their ages averaging between 25 and 35 years. Few, it was observed, commenced their studies until they had attained the age of 21 years, and they often pursued them for 15 years, when, having acquired a perfect knowledge of the shastra and all its arcana, they returned to their native homes and set up as pundits and teachers themselves. In 1818, Mr Ward enumerated 31 schools of learning at Nuddea, containing in all 747 students, of whom not fewer than five studied under one teacher. So many as one hundred and twenty-five students are stated to have been receiving the instructions of one teacher at the same time, but the accuracy of Mr Ward’s information in this particular may be doubted. The principal studies were logic and law, and there was only one school for general literature, one for astronomy, and one for grammar. The following are the details in Mr Ward’s words:— ‘Nyaya Colleges Shivu-Nat’hu-Vidya-Vachusputee has one hundred and twenty-five students Ramu-Lochunu-Nyayu-Vhooshunu, twenty ditto Kashee-Nat’hu Turku-Chooramunee, thirty ditto Ubhuyanundu-Turkalunkaru, twenty ditto Ramu-Shurunu-Nyayu-Vagesshu, fifteen ditto Bhola-Nat’hu-Shiromunee, twelve ditto Radha-Nat’hu Turku-Punchanunu, ten ditto Ramu-Mohunu-Vidya Vachusputee, twenty ditto Shri Ramu-Turku-Bhooshunu, twenty ditto Kalee-Kantu-Chooramunee, five ditto Krishnu-Kantu-Vidya-Vageeshu, fifteen ditto Turkalunkaru, fifteen ditto Kalee-Prusunu, fifteen ditto Madhubu-Turku-Sidhantu, twenty-five ditto Kumula-Kantu-Turku-Chooramunee, twenty-five ditto Eeshwuru-Turku-Bhooshunu, twenty ditto Kantu-Vidyalunkaru, forty ditto Law Colleges Ramu-Nat’hu-Turku-Siddantu, forty students Gunga-Dhuru-Shiromunee, twenty-five ditto 298