MACRO POLITICS
, Rastriya Swayamsewak Sangh [RSS] grew under the leadership of Dr. Hedgewar and remained on the periphery on the Indian politics as a milititary Hindu group. Still, The RSS takes the full advantage of communal riots..The RSS has approximately 45000 shakhas , all over the country and educational organization network whose lexicon ‘Hindu’ which claims all who are born in Hindustan . The RSS stands under the banner of Hindu as the major community of India. The RSS ,whose front are the VHP [Vishwa Hindu Parishad] and BD [ Bajarang Dal] and its successor the BJP [Bharati Janata Party]whom the RSS wants to see in political power.
For example, the RSS fronts VHP denounced Deepa Mehata’s projected film water in Varanasi ,in 2000 year. The film was based on the novel of ‘City Under Curfew’ by Vibhuti Rai. And another , the RSS students fronts Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad [ABVP] also denounced Anand Patwardhan’s award winning film on Ajodhya ‘In the Name of Ram’ . In field of education ,the RSS fronts organization Vidya Bharaty today is a non –governmental sector and has around 13000 educational institutions including Sarswati Vidya Mandir.
The emergence of BSP [Bahujan Samaj Party] grew under the leadership of late Shri Kanshi Ram ,a Dalit based party has been playing a important role in development of society and politics of Uttar Pradesh since1980s. The BSP whose front BAMSAF [ Backward and Minority Classes Employees Federation] and DS-4 [Dalit Shoshit , Samaj ,Sangharsh ,Samiti] both make field for BSP in order to get political power. Still , BSP [ leader Mayawaty, CM of UP] has constructed a strong Dalit Movement , based upon identity and conscious ness . BSP has left in its avowed goal of displacing manuadi [representing upper caste] forces and introducing social change . Now BSP has made compromise with same forces and currently ruling with slogan ‘’ Bahujan Sukhay , Bahujan Hitay’’ [ egalitarian society].
In UP , BSP has created a new identity and counter ideology to the Verna system of ‘ Dalit ‘and ‘Ambedakarism’ respectively. The BSP has got breakthrough in removing the hold of Brahmanical ideology. This has also succeeded in removing the submissive attitude and atrocity upon Dalits and providing them with a new confidence and self-respect.
MICRO PERSPECTIVE
Varanasi district is situated in eastern Uttar Pradesh with a population of 4.9 million. Varanasi has a significant presence of 18 per cent of Scheduled castes but no Scheduled tribes. The traditional elite of the city have been traders and landowners of local Vaishya castes. Despite the position of the Hindu dominated culture, Muslim has population 30 per cent in Varanasi city. The commercial life is based on the manufacturing of silk , sari usually Muslim weavers and Hindu traders. The literacy rate of Varanasi district is 47.7 per cent [62.5 in urban Varanasi ] , lower than the national average of 52.2 percent , but higher than the average of the whole of Uttar Pradesh.
SARSWATI SHISHU MANDIR
INTRODUCTION
It was situated at Muradahan on the main road of Sindhora , in Varanasi. It had no vast play ground. The students attending of the school would come from the neighboring village. There are five small hamlet come under the Murdahan Village. It was located with rural setting. The socio- economic profile of the school were middle class, lower middle and lower class. The occupation of students parents were almost depend on agriculture and sari weaving. There were hardly some students whose parents were employee.
ADMISSION PROCESS
For taking admission , newcomer students had to go through a formal test that was held in the form of oral and written test by the school. For nursery class , children were asked their names , parents and address etc. In another class I , students were supposed to write their names , parents name and address. The admission form was 20 rupees and monthly fee 15 rupees. There was no privilege for students for any particular group , caste , religion , during admission . Caste discrimination [ Jat-Pat Ki Bhavana ] in school philosophy was not considered . Although the school say all people were the same –only Hindus. This non-discriminatory attitude could be reflected only in their admission process for which they did not ask either the student’s caste or religion. The name of classes were called in following manner.
Nursery [ Arun]
Kindergarten [Uday]
Class 1 [Pratham]
Class 2 { Dwitya]
Class 3 [Tritiya]
Class 4 [Chaturth]
Class 5 [Pancham]
SCHOOL
There were seven room [ Tin shed] for teaching under which the students were taught. There was no Pakka room except the office. The school had a small play ground . the school had classes on the ground. The premises of school was rented base. The school time table was 7.30 to 1.00 p.m in summer season and lunch break in between 10.30 t0 1050. In winter season , the school timing was 9.30 to 3.00 p.m and lunch break in between 12.30 to 1250 . the educational term of school would open 1th July and closing date 1th may. The school would have summer break 1st of May till the 30th of June in every year .There was no winter vacation in that school. The school would close as largest holiday on the occasion of Dashehara [victory of Ram over Ravan]. There were several photos hanging over wall of the class , such as Bharat Mata , Sarswati , Shri Ram ,map of India. And great personality such as , Gandhi Ji , Lal Bahadoor Shashtri , Lala Lalalajapat Rai, Bhagat Sigh, Swami Vivekananda so and so.
SCHOOL CURRICULUM
The school would start with Sarswati Vandana [prayer] ‘’ Ya Kendund Tushar Har Dhawala……… . ‘’
There were 10 subjects over there that being taught such as Hindi , Sanskrit ,English, Moral Education, Arts, Physical Education, Mathematics, History, Music. These all were compulsory for every students. The medium of instruction was Hindi. English and Sanskrit languages were taught from class 2 onwards. The text books had to be bought from at the school office , which was published by Vidya Bharati Publication in Mathura.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Apart from the 10 subjects , PT [ Physical Training ] and character building knowledge were taught in order to make the children more responsible and mindful of their duties. The teachers would indoctrinate children’s mind a feeling of patriotism , religious and morality for the sake of Hindu nationalism.
SCHOOL PROGRAMME
The school used to have half day on Saturday in each week. On the same day , school used to have cultural programme , such as Desh Geet, ‘ Desh bhakto ke koon se pakhara hua , ye aajad ka taj hamara hua ‘ and ‘ Vande Matram ‘ and Bharatiya Sanskrit Geet , ‘ Janani janma Bhoomishcha ,shwargadpi gariyashi ‘’
School Culture
When the students would enter the gate of the school , they had to touch the feet of their teachers. In the school , respect being made as mandatory for the children to address each other as’ Bhai ‘ and ‘Behan’ right from the beginning . Even class teachers had to address the same thing for addressing students such as’ Bhai Manish ‘ and ‘ Behan Saroj’. The children were called by by the students as ‘’ Acharya Ji’’ which meant one who educates through his own behavior as a role model. Those days teachers were supposed to be ideal person in the school. There was no educational trip for students for outside the school. The students must have compulsory uniforms, white shirt was common for both and navy blue shortpantfor boys and skirts for girls. The school had belief in home-visit with parents –teachers three times in each year. The class teacher used to visit student’s home and got acquainted with their parents. The techers would suggest parents to ensure their children bathe ,dress, nutritious food, tip-in before sending the school. The students being taught as ‘’ Aap’’ for elders and ‘’Tu ‘’and ‘’Tum’’ was strictly prohibited for using inside or outside the school.
TEACHING PROCESS
In Sarswati Shishu Mandir school timetable for teaching was fixed. Each period was consists of 30 minutes. Being taught the students , then teachers would take attendance. Before starting the teaching , they would write day ,date, and subject on the black board . the teacher would often dictate the answer, question and students follow. If somebody made noise or misbehaved , then undoubtedly teachers would slap or give physical punishment . The lecture was the form of teaching , asking question , and encourage them to answer and write down the completed chapters. The teacher would give stress on revision of previous work. When strict teacher entered with stick , the class would seem pin drop silence .When the teacher entered into the class , all the students had to stand up as respect. There were two monitor in each class and they were selected by students. There was two side in each class , girls side and boys side. Each monitors was assigned some task respectively . for girls[monitor ] had to bring water for the school teachers in lunch period. For boys[monitor ] had to bring stick daily from their home. During English class ,first, the teacher would write down on black board and speak aloud in English then repeat in Hindi and say student to jot down. There was no gender equality in class. The girls were supposed to sit other -side . The girls were not supposed to talk to boys and interaction the class.
TEACHERS
There were seven teachers excluding a maid servant. They all would come far from another village . They all belonged to upper caste[Brahmin] . They were paid very less amount around three hundred for seven hours. They seemed to be trained teacher because time and again they used to go for training outside .
STUDENTS
The students attending the school would come from small hamlet .They belonged almost to Hindu
Communities [all castes]. A few of them were from minorities. The number of boys were more rather
than girls .The students had to touch their parents feet when they awake up in morning and before
leaving the home to school .The student daily conduct of life was asked during special parents-teaching
meeting, whether the child was imbibing good[Sanskar] or not.
SCHOOL AIM AND IDEOLOGY
The school , Sarswati Shishu Mandir was popular during that point of time because they were imparting
the knowledge of Hindu culture , Identity , Sanskar , Bhartiya Sanskriti in children mind and
behaviour.Infact, the aim and objective of school revealed that how the ‘Hindutva ‘ ideology or
‘Bharatiya ‘[ Hindu] culture and value were inculcated into the curriculum and young brain of the
students through teaching process. The feeling of brotherhood [ Hum sub ek hai] among among Hindu
communities, the school intended to propagate through school curriculum. The school used to put
the emphasis on creating the Bharati Sanskrity and creation of the strong bond of Guru-Shishya[pupil]
relationship. The inclusion of photograph of ‘ Bharat Mata ‘ it defined Bharat Mata as Hindu.
DR. BHIM RAO AMBEDKAR VIDYA MANDIR
INTRODUCTION
It was situated at Gahani ,two km.away from the main road of Sindhora , in Varanasi. It had big play
ground . The students attending of the school would not only come from nearby village but also from far and wide because there were only two middle school s over there. The school was located in rural background , where the student come from an uneducated family. The socio-economic profile of school lower middle , and lower class. The occupation of parents were farming, sari weaving, and local labor. Besides this school, there was one school[middle or junior] belonging to Upper Caste around there. In the school most of the students would come from first generation students
ADMISSION PROCESS
For admission , there was no criteria of oral or written test The students were simply required to fill up the admission form and get admission. The admission form cast 25 rupees and monthly fee 15 rupees respectively. Being Dalit school , upper castes children did not come. In that school there were three classes –vi, vii, viii.
SCHOOL
There were around 150 students in that school. There were three big Pakka room . The school had good
infrastructure with limited resources. The school had summer vocation in winter season. There were several photographs over wall of the class such as Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Ravidas , Kabir , Sarswati ,,Bhagat Singh, Subas Chand Bosh ,Swami Vivekanand and map of India. This school was probably aided.
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SCHOOL CURRICULUM
The school would start with Sarswati Vandana[ prayer], ‘’ Twamev mata chapita twamev , twamevVidya dravidam twamev ‘’. There were nine subjects , Mathematics, English, History, Georaphy,Sanskrit,,Agriculture,Arts, Physical Education, General Science. The medium of instruction was Hindi. And all subjects were compulsory for every students. The text could be purchased from market published by Basic Shiksha Parishad.
.
SCHOOL CULTURE
There was cultural program, which was held on Saturday of last day of each month. There was no such
strict rule that student must touch the feet of their teachers as compulsory. The students generally
would like to address each other by their names. There was no sign of patriarchy system like special
parent –teacher meeting. There was scholarship for Scheduled castes. The students would address ‘’Master Saheb’’ for the teachers. There was no dress code[ uniform] .for the students.
EXAMINATION SYSTEM
The school would conduct two exams in each year , [i] Half Yearly [ii] Annual Exam. The exam paper was
not set by the school teachers rather it was come from market [publisher].No body happened to fail .
TEACHING PROCESS
There was no specific class , which could be associated with a specific teacher. The classes were taken by the teachers at randomly. The class teachers attendance would take first, then start teaching. First, the class teacher s would write on black board, day date. Subject and question –answer then students were told to copy down. The teachers would focus on revision the answer and memorization of syllabus so that student could write in exam. The students were given daily homework so that might be engage themselves.
The class teachers were not well educated and trained. The teachers were not punctual and in absence of them ,monitors used to take class. There used to be class test in the end of month. There was gender equality in class room regarding students could talk and interacts with each other.
There were only four teachers , who would teach continuous. They all would come from their respective place. They all belonged to Scheduled Castes[ Chamar]. Some of them were leader of BSP[Bahujan Samaj Party].The teachers –students relation was respectful, friendly and homely.
STUDENTS
The students attending the school would come from far and wide village. The students were almost belonged to Scheduled Castes and less number OBC[Other Backward Castes.]The number of boys and girls were equal .
PRINCIPAL
The principal of that school was from a Scheduled Caste,[Chamar] an Army retired. He would also come from three km.away from the school. He would teach us English.
SCHOOL IDEOLOGY
The aim and objective of the school to spread the message of Dalit Identity and Awareness about Ambedkarism[ equality ,brotherhood, social justice and liberty] in children’s mind and society. The very concept of philosophy of the school aimed at nurturing enable a child to do well. The inclusion of a photograph of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, reveals as forefather and Dalit Identity.
Note-In Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar school some common point has been left out which can be visualized in the RSS school, Sarswati Shishu Mandir regarding time table , time routine of class.
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