There was a time in ancient India when recycling nutrients in human waste was deeply understood and implemented. The practices encoded in Indic texts could have been used to extract global ‘Best Practices’ for sanitation and wastewater management.
Among the countless teachers and gurus who moulded Bharata, there was also my grandfather. He played with students, yet disciplined them. He worked hard to reveal the treasures locked in ancient Sanskrit texts, yet never shunned western contributions. Here is his story.
When the enemy was at the fort gates, when rations ran out, and when defeat was certain, Rajput kingdoms, especially in northwestern India followed a code of honour that inspires awe and dread to this day.
The past heritage lies buried in regional and Sanskrit literature, awaiting illumination. When India became independent from the British in 1947, there was a fresh opportunity to write a new chapter of decolonization.
A student who completed basic education in ancient India and wished to learn more had a plethora of institutions to choose from, depending on whether he wanted to specialize in the Vedas, logic, medicine, sciences, classical music, or any other subject.
India’s earliest teachers were the gurus, who taught in gurukulams and ashrams located far away from the hustle and bustle of towns.
Sahana Singh shares her learning and experiences at the Weekend with Wisdom with Dr. Meenakshi Jain.
It is troubling, even tragic that many Indians are unaware of the huge contribution of Shri Vyasaraya to the rich intellectual and cultural traditions of the land. Acclaimed for being…
Sahana Singh is an engineer, author, editor and commentator who specializes in water/sanitation issues and Indic history. She has authored "The Educational Heritage of Ancient India - How an Ecosystem of Learning Was Laid to Waste". (Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LS4yZS) Ms Singh is a member of Indian History Awareness and Research (IHAR), a Houston-based organization. She has also joined the board of Ishwar Sewa Foundation (https://www.ishwarsewa.org/) dedicated to the cause of rehabilitating Hindu refugees.
