1. Why were travellers attracted towards India?

Explanation:

Many tourists are drawn to India due to its renowned culture, wealth, religion, philosophy, art, architecture, and educational practices that have spread throughout the world. Earliest India's educational system was observed as a rich foundation of acquaintance, civilizations, and practices that directed and inspired the entire human race. India is a mystical land for tourists.


2. What were the sources of the earliest education system?

Explanation:

The earliest structure of schooling in India drew from various sources such as the Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and Dhammas. In addition, the literatures of scholars like Aryabhata, Panini, Katyayana, and Patanjali, as well as the medicinal dissertations of Charaka and Sushruta, were also considered valuable resources. The system also drew from a variety of disciplines, including Itihas (history), Anviksiki (logic), Mimamsa (interpretation), Shilpashastra (architecture), Arthashastra (politics), Varta (agriculture, trade, commerce, animal husbandry), and Dhanurvidya (archery). These sources of knowledge and learning have helped shape India's rich culture and heritage, making it an attractive destination for travelers seeking to explore its depth and diversity.


3. What were the features of education system in earliest India?

Explanation:

Approximately some key features of the earliest Indian education system are:

(a) Education based on the principles of Vedas and Upanishads, with a focus on responsibility towards oneself, circle of relatives, and civilization, covering all characteristics of life.

(b) Emphasis on learning and physical development.

(c) A focus on maintaining physical and mental health through education.


4. What was the role of guru in pupils’ lives?

Explanation:

In earliest periods, students and their gurus worked together diligently to gain proficiency in various aspects of learning. Shastrartha, a learning debate, was organized to evaluate student learning. Advanced students mentored younger ones in peer groups to share information. During this period, gurus lived with their shishias and assisted each other in daily activities. The primary objective was to provide holistic learning, cultivate discipline, and realize the learner's inner latent. Students stayed away from home for extended periods until their goals were accomplished. The gurukul fostered a strong Guru-shishya relationship over time while training students in various disciplines like history, debate, law, medicine, etc. The focus was not just on the external aspects of the discipline, but also on enriching the inner dimension of one's personality.


5. Where did the nuns and monks receive their education?

Explanation:

The education of nuns and monks was often provided in monasteries or religious institutions, which served as centers of learning and art. These establishments were established with the primary purpose of facilitating meditation, intellectual discussions, and debates among scholars to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of earliest learners.


6. What is Panini known for?

Explanation:

Panini, an esteemed scholar of earliest India, was a legendary Sanskrit grammarian who possessed vast knowledge of language and grammar. He is famous for writing one of the most exceptional grammar books known as Ashtadhyayi. Panini earned the title of "Father of Linguistics" due to his remarkable contribution to the field of linguistics. He developed detailed and scientific theories on phonology, geomorphology, and phonetics.


7. Which university did Xuan Zang and I-Qing study at?

Explanation:

During the 7th century AD, Chinese scholars Yi Qing and Xuan Zang visited a center of higher education in various disciplines known as Nalanda. At the time of Xuanzang's visit, Nalanda was referred to as Nala.


8. Which subject did Xuan Zang study in India?

Explanation:

Xuanzang, a Chinese scholar who lived in the 7th century AD. According to the paragraph, Xuanzang studied at Nalanda University in India, which was a center of higher education at that time. During his time at the university, he studied several disciplines, including Yoga Theory, Grammar, Logic, and Sanskrit. This indicates that Nalanda University offered a diverse range of courses and subjects for students to study, including subjects beyond the traditional Indian fields of study.


9. How did society help in the education of the students?

Explanation:

In earliest periods, education was considered a sacred pursuit and the sharing of knowledge was done without any charge. The act of contributing to education by wealthy individuals was regarded as the most generous form of giving. Various people made contributions in different ways, such as financial support from affluent businessmen, wealthy parents, and the society at large. Apart from monetary donations, universities also received land donations from the affluent. The concept of free education was prevalent in earliest universities like Valabhi, Vikramshila and Jagaddala.


10. Which salient features of the earliest education system of India made it globally renowned?

Explanation:

There are some key characteristics of the earliest Indian education system that contributed to its worldwide reputation, including:

(a) The system emphasized holistic development, encompassing both inner and outer well-being.

(b) It addressed spiritual, physical, moral, and intellectual aspects of life.

(c) The system valued truth, humility, autonomy, discipline, and respect for all creative work.

(d) It promoted an appreciation for and balance between humanity and nature.

(e) Teachers followed the principles outlined in the Vedas and Upanishads, which encompassed fulfilling responsibilities to oneself, one's family, and society in all areas of life.


11. Why do you think students from other countries came to India to study at that time?

Explanation:

During earliest periods, India was widely known as a land of knowledge and a center for higher education. Students from various faraway lands such as China, North Korea, Tibet, Myanmar, Ceylon, Java and Nepal were attracted to come and study in India. To meet the demand, different cloisters or viharas were established where monks and nuns could contemplate, discuss, and converse with scholars to satisfy their thirst for information. Dakshashila has also been a well-known center of learning for centuries, particularly for the religious teachings of Buddhism. Until the 5th century AD, it sustained to fascinate students from different parts of the world up until it was destroyed.


12. Why is education considered ‘a way of life’?

Explanation:

The education system in earliest India was characterized by formal and non-formal models of learning, and it was considered a way of life. Children were educated through various means such as home education, gurukuls, tols, temples, Pathshalas and chatuspadis. Individuals in homelands, townships, and shrines would take on the role of guiding and mentoring young children, helping them lead a virtuous and ideal life.


13. What do you understand by holistic education?

Explanation:

The concept of whole person education pertains to the all-around growth of an individual, encompassing both their inner and outer selves, to equip them for life. In contrast, the earliest Indian education system, despite being permitted, lacked centralization. Its principles were primarily rooted in the diverse cultural traditions of India, which fostered a harmonious growth of physical, spiritual, intellectual, and artistic dimensions of life.


14. Why do you think Takshashila and Nalanda have been declared heritage sites?

Explanation:

Takshashila is an earliest Indian town that was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 due to its significance as an archaeological site and a hub of learning because of the knowledge of its teachers.

Nalanda University, which was operational from the 5th to the 12th century AD, is one of the eldest universities in the world. The temple ruins of Nalanda have been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.