Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c8.61

c8.61

(1) Some were connected with temples. The Bengal Report of the Education Commission of 1882 says¹: ‘Another class of educational institutions owed its origin to a different branch of the priesthood. Each village community of the Hindus had its tutelary idol with a Brāhman specially attached to its worship. Offering worship to the idol on behalf of all the different castes of the village people, this Brāhman naturally took under him in his tutorial capacity the children of all those who, as either belonging to or connected with the twice-born, felt themselves under the obligation to acquire letters. Thus originated the village pāṭhśālās which are still so much cherished by the people. The pāṭhśāla teacher subsisted on the deottar land of the idol, and received from his pupils free-will offerings and occasionally fees.’ So in the Panjāb report also it is mentioned that some schools were connected with temples, and the school seen by Pietra della Valle was probably a temple school. That this, however, was not the only origin of such schools, even in the case of Bengal, is clear from Adam’s reports. The schools were not always held in proximity to a temple, and both teachers and pupils included even the lowest castes.