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

93

IV
PRINCIPAL COLLECTOR, CANARA TO BOARD
OF REVENUE:
27.8.1822
(TNSA: BRP: Vol.924 Pro.5.9.1822, pp.8425-29 Nos.35-6)

1. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
   dated 25th ultimo, together with its enclosure being copy of
   letter from the Secretary to Government Revenue Department
   dated 2nd July directing me to forward a statement filled up as
   per Form transmitted, and to report upon the state of education
   in this zillah.
   As the preparation of the necessary information to fill up
   the statement in question, would take up a considerable time
   and as any just criterion of the actual extent of such schools as
   exist in this zillah cannot be formed upon it, I have considered it
   expedient to submit this address, explanatory of the foregoing
   causes, which will I think show the preparation of the document
   for this Province unnecessary.
2. There are no colleges in Canara for the cultivation of the
   abstruse Sciences. Neither are there any fixed schools and
   masters to teach in them.
   There is no instance known of any institutions of the above
   description having ever received support in any shape from the
   former governments.
3. The education of the few Bramin children of the higher
   classes in towns or villages, is conducted in the house of the
   principal man. He selects a teacher, who receives for each child
   a small sum, a present of cloth at particular ceremonies, and the
   same for a few others, children of the friends of the principal
   man, who also meet at his own house for the same purpose. The
   Moolla* in the same manner teaches a few Mussulman children
   on the same principle. It is entirely a private education, and the
   master is as often changed as the scholars. There is nothing
   belonging to it which can assimilate it with a shadow of public
   education, or indeed of regularity in learning.
   The children are taught to read and write and accounts,
   and unless belonging to the highest classes, the attainment of
   94

Persian and Hindwy and Canarese at the same time is seldom or
ever pursued. Indeed, amongst those classes, it is so entirely a
private tuition, that any estimate of the numbers of their child-
ren learning such languages could not be but erroneous.
4. Education is undoubtedly at its lowest ebb in Canara. To
the Bramins of the country the Conkanny and Shinnawee and to
the 2nd class of the former, the little education given, is
confined. Amongst the farmers, generally speaking, and probably
amongst one half of its population, the most common forms of
education are unknown and in disuse, or more correctly
speaking were never in use.
5. As applicable to the subject I beg leave to introduce an
extract from a letter to the assistant surgeon of the zillah,
written to him in consequence of a wish on the part of the
Superintendent General of Vaccination to obtain information
from me, on the practicability of inducing the upper classes of
natives in Canara, to undertake the situations of practitioners,
who from their supposed superior attainments would be enabled
to facilitate the progress of vaccination.
Extract of Paras 6th, 7th and 8th
6. I have stated that I consider there is no objection to the
Christian practitioner, but with regard to employment of
men of the other various castes in this district, causes exist
which I am led to believe would render the attempt futile.
The mass of people are cultivators, there are no
manufactures to speak of in Canara, it is a country of
cottages dispersed in valleys and jungles, each man living
upon his estate and hence there are few towns, even these
are thinly populated. Hence I am led to conjecture from a
lesser congregation of people the Arts and Sciences have
never, at least in later times, become of that consequence
in Canara to cause them to be taught and cherished.
Probably there is no District in the Peninsula so devoid of
artists or scientific men.
7. The soil of Canara is the natives undoubted right, gained
by the first of all claims, the original clearing of it for
cultivation. Thus, to this day his detestation of quitting his
house and the fields by which it is surrounded. For those
wants to which he is thus naturally exposed for cloth and
for the various necessities of life which his land does not
yield him, he is indebted to the few bazar men in the very
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few towns in each talook; these men chiefly Concanese are
again indebted to their more opulent brethren established
on the coast for supplies which are bartered for the
products of the soil. These again are confined to three or
four principal articles so that they do not afford room for
much individual foreign enterprise, and consequently the
provision of them remains with the people, who, have ever
retained it, and thus strangers are in a great degree
excluded from the country.
8. From these causes I certainly consider the general want
of Men of Science originates, and also that men, where
their occupation is so entirely taken up with one pursuit
would not be induced to quit it on any account, much less
for the occupation of a travelling vaccinator.
6. Subsequently to my arrival in Canara, I had endeavored
to persuade some of the original farmers, the Bunts, to send
their nephews (for they are the heirs, not the sons) to Mangalore
for education—without success. A Christian school has been
established in which Latin and Portuguese alone are taught.
7. Should the Board after this explanation still consider the
preparation of the Form transmitted with their letter, desirable,
and according to the views of the government, I shall endeavor to
obtain the particulars. It will be, I beg to repeat, a very fallacious
statement. Amongst the numerous servants of this extensive
Collectorate there is but one, who writes Persian; the literary
knowledge of all others is confined to Hindwy and Canarese.
Even Sanscrit is very partially known, and the Ballabund is
confined to a very few of the class of Bramins who read the
Shastras. Amongst this latter class I have found many, who
could not read some of the ancient inscriptions, which they
assert are in a different character from the Hala Canarese, and
Ballabund they were taught.
Mangalore,
Principal Collector’s Cutcherry,
27th August, 1822.
(Order thereon)—35-36 T. Harris,
Ordered to lie on the table: Principal Collector.
96

V
COLLECTOR OF TINNEVELLY TO BOARD OF REVENUE:
18.10.1822
(TNSA: BRP: Vol.928 Pro.28.10.1822 pp.9936-7 No.46-7)
I have the honor of forwarding the Statement of Schools in
this District required by your Deputy's letter of the 25th July
last.
The preparation of the account has been delayed by
enquiry into the castes of the female scholars, who in almost all
instances are found to be dancing girls.
Tinnevelly District,
Sharenmadavy, J.B. Hudleston
18th October 1822. Collector.
(Statement on following page)
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98

VI
ASSISTANT COLLECTOR, SERINGAPATAM TO BOARD OF
REVENUE:
29.10.1822
(TNSA: BRP: Vol.929 Pro.4.11.1822 pp.10260-2 Nos.33&4)

1. I have the honor to transmit in conformity to the
   instructions conveyed in your letter of the 25th July last, a
   statement exhibiting the number of seminaries within this zillah.
2. The extent of information acquired under the present
   prevailing system of education is extremely limited—nothing
   more is professed to be taught in these day-schools than
   reading, writing, and arithmetic, just competent for the
   discharge of the common daily transactions of society.
3. There are no traces on record, as far as I can ascertain,
   of endowments in land towards the support of colleges and
   schools having at a former period been granted either by the
   then existing government or any patriotic private individuals.
   The superintendents of the different seminaries were left for
   remuneration, entirely to the parents of the respective students
   frequenting them, and which system obtains to the present day.
4. It appears that for each pupil the preceptor receives 5
   annas monthly which makes the total annual expenditure for
   the purposes of education within the Island of Seringapatam
   amount to rupees 2,351 and annas 4. This sum, divided
   amongst 41 superintendents, gives each on an average the very
   inadequate and trifling income of rupees 57 annas 5 and pice 5.
   Seringapatam H. Vibart
   29th October 1822. Assistant Collector in charge.
   (Statement on following page)
   99

100

VII
COLLECTOR, TINNEVELLY TO BOARD OF REVENUE:
7.11.1822
(TNSA: BRP Vol.931, Pro.18.11.1822 No.37, pp. 10545-6)
I have now the honor of forwarding a complete account of
schools in this district according to the prescribed Form. The
accounts from the talook of Punjamahl not having been received
at the time of my sending those of the other talooks.
The total under the head of population appears to have
been erroneous, and is correctly given in the statement, now
sent:
Tinnevelly, J.B. Hudleston,
7th November 1822. Collector.
(Statement on following page)
101

102

VIII
PRINCIPAL COLLECTOR, COIMBATORE TO
BOARD OF REVENUE:
23.11.1822
(TNSA: BRP: Vol.932, Pro.2.12.1822, pp.10939-943, No.43)
To,
The President and Members of the Board of Revenue
Gentlemen,

1. I have the honor to forward the information called for in
   Mr Clarke’s letter of the 25th July 1882 regarding the schools in
   the district.
2. The statement No.1 is drawn up after the Form which
   accompanied Mr Clarke’s letter.
   The statement No.2 shows the particular language taught
   in each school, the number of pupils, the average amount of
   stipends paid by parents, to the teachers, the average annual
   charge to pupils for the purchase of cadjans.
   The statement No.3 shows the number of institutions in
   which Theology, Law and Astronomy are taught, the number of
   pupils educated in them, and the amount of maximum land
   granted by the Hindu Government, for their support, and
   assumed either by the Mussulman, or by the British
   Government.
3. The earliest age at which boys attend school is 5 years,
   they continue there until they are 13 or 14. Those who study
   Theology, Law, etc., begin at about 15 and continue to frequent
   the colleges until they have attained a competent knowledge in
   the Science, or until they obtain employment.
4. Besides their regular stipends, school masters generally
   receive presents, from the parents of their pupils, at the Das-
   sarah and other great feasts; a fee is also given when the pupil
   begins a new book. The annual stipend from one pupil varies
   from Rs.14 to Rs.3 per annum, according to the circumstances
   of the parents. The school hours are from 6 a.m. to 10, and from
   1 to 2 p.m. until 8 at night. Besides the several festivals they
   have regular holidays, 4 days in each month on the full moon,
   the new moon, and a day after each.
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5. The education of females is almost entirely confined in
   this district to the dancing women, who are generally of the
   Kykeler caste, a class of weavers. There are exceptions to this
   rule, but the numbers are too insignificant to require notice.
6. There is a school for teaching English in the town of
   Coimbatore, which is superintended by an English writer
   belonging to this Cutcheree.
   Coimbatore, (Signed) J. SULLIVAN,
   23rd November 1822. Principal Collector.
   (Statements on following pages)
   104

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111

IX
COLLECTOR OF MADURA TO BOARD OF REVENUE: 5.2.1823
(TNSA: BRP—Vol.942, Pro.13.2.1823, pp.2402-406 No.21)

1. I had previous to the receipt of the instructions of
   government made some little inquiry into the state of the schools
   in this district and have endeavoured to ascertain, should their
   number be increased, if the poorer classes would be induced to
   bring their children to them, to be educated amongst the lower
   class; I see little hope of such an improvement. They say as they
   are poor, their children are better employed in attending bul-
   locks, etc., by which they gain a livelihood, than being at school.
   In the Fort of Madura and the different Cusbah villages some
   schools might be established with advantage. Many people of
   caste would, I have no doubt, send their children to such
   schools, and as the benefit derivable from education began
   gradually to develop itself, the numbers would increase. Five or 6
   schools in the Fort of Madura, and 2 or 3 in each of the
   Cusbahs, granting the masters a small monthly salary of 30 to
   40 fanams* would be sufficient, and I have no doubt the Heads
   of Villages would be induced to send their children there, which
   would render such establishments most desirable as very few
   Nattawkars throughout the district can either read or write, and
   are consequently totally dependent on the Curnams.
2. From the statement it would seem, that in a population
   of nearly 800,000, there are stated to be only 844 schools, and
   in them 13,781 children educated. That the number should be
   increased must be wished for.
3. From the several statements received from the different
   divisions, it does not appear that any Mauneom lands are
   enjoyed for the purpose of schools; but that the teachers are
   paid by the poorer classes of people from ½ to 1 fanam for each
   scholar per month, and from 2 to 3 and 5 fanams by those in
   better circumstances, and that a teacher derives from 30 to 60
   cully fanams** per month in large villages, and from 10 to 30
   fanams in small villages—scholars usually first attend school at
   the age of 5 and leave it from 12 to 15.
   112