Takshashila - The World's First and Oldest University!
India has
a long and venerable history in the field of higher education. In ancient
times, the country was known to have been home to the oldest formal
universities in the world.
The
world's first University was established in Takshila or Taxila or Takshashila
(now in Pakistan) in 700BC. This centre of learning was situated about 50
km west of Rawalpindi in Pakistan. It was an important Vedic/Hindu and
Buddhist center of learning but wasn`t as well organized as the University
of Nalanda.
The Vayu
Purana traces the start of Takshila to Taksha, son of Bharata and is also
mentioned in Mahabharata, citing Dhaumya as one of the Acharyas. There are
several mentions of this University in the Buddhist Jataka Tales. Chinese
travellers like Fa Hian (Faxain) and Huien Tsang (XuanZang) also speak of
Takshila in their writings.
More than
10,500 students from all over the world studied here. The campus
accommodated students who came from as far as Babylonia, Greece, Arabia
and China and offered over sixty different courses in various field such
as science, mathematics, medicine, politics, warfare , astrology,
astronomy, music, religion, and philosophy. Generally, a student
entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen. Students would come to Takshila
and take up education in their chosen subject with their teacher directly.
Entrance exam to Takshila was very difficult and only 3 out of every 10
students passed the admission test.
They were
supposed to pay for their expenses. However, if a student was unable to
pay then he could work for his teacher. The Vedas and the Eighteen Arts,
which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were
taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school
of military science.
Takshila
was specialized in the study of medicine.
Panini,
the famous Sanskrit grammarian, Kautilya (Chanakya) and Charaka, the
famous physician of ancient India, and Chandragupta Maurya were the
products of this university. It gained its importance again during the
reign of Kanishka. It was probably, the earliest of the ancient seats of
higher
education.
Takshashila is perhaps best known because of its association
with Chanakya. The famous treatise Arthashastra (Sanskrit for The
knowledge of Economics) by Chanakya, is said to have been composed in
Takshashila itself.
During the
800 years that Takshila was operational, it attained great fame. The
University consisted of: - 300 lecture halls with stones benches for
sitting - laboratories - Observatory called the Ambudharaavlehi for
astronomical research - Massive Library called Dharma Gunj or Mountain of
Knowledge, consisting of 3 buildings: Ratna Sagar, Ratnodavi and
Ratnayanjak
Takshila`s
prosperity resulted from its position at the junction of three great trade
routes. In the second half of the 5th century, it was severely damaged by
Hephthalite invasions; during the 7th century it was gradually abandoned
by its inhabitants. Excavations begun in 1913 finally gave the world a
peak into the best minds in Indian history.
Takshila
was one of the World Heritage Sites in 1980.
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