A Classless Society
UNVEILING FIRST VARNASRAMA SHIKSHALAYA!
UNVEILING FIRST VARNASRAMA SHIKSHALAYA!
Life is Education and Education is Life. This profound Vedic maxim is the sum and
substance of sanatana dharma or varnasrama dharma, an ideal setting and lifestyle for
continuous progress in material and spiritual development. The ancient system of
education, consisting of gurukula as the formal educational system and the varnasrama
rural setting acting itself as the non-formal educational medium, was gradually replaced by
the modern curricula and practice of textbook based “schooling”, usually far from the
practicality and truth. The failure of modern education is that though it makes one literate,
it does not train or educate one to be a fit individual in the context of a simple village
lifestyle. Rather the existing educational system siphons the villages of their educated
youth to the job and factory-based urban living to become uncultured.
A pioneer in the era of sustainable alternative living, GLOVESCO (Global Varnasrama
Educational Social and Cultural Organization) has education as a prime priority in its 8
petals consisting of:
1. Education & Training
2. Get-Involved (Leadership and Village Organization)
3. Cow Protection and Agriculture
4. Cottage Industries
5. Self-Realization
6. Health & Welfare
7. Vedic Family Planning
8. Children & Youth
In order to bring about an educational, social & cultural transformation, children and
youth should be involved at the village level. With this understanding, GLOVESCO aims
to introduce 108 “Varnasrama Shikshalayas” in each State of India by year 2011 involving
the children between 10 to 15 years of age. The Shikshalayas will be very simple in their
structure, curriculum and approach of training. His Diving Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON) repeated on numerous occasions: “First is Character. First is
Food”. This guideline is used to set the curriculum of Varnasrama Shikshalayas having the
basic tenets of character formation as “Truthfulness, Compassion, Discipline and
Cleanliness” and the basic tenets of food security as cow protection and an agrarian based
self sufficient living.
Varnasrama Shikshalayas will be simple since the village atmosphere is the ideal setting for
learning in itself. Accepting the basic guidelines of the varnasrama curriculum, providing
basic and simple living infrastructure for the students, completing an application form and
consequent approval from GLOVESCO are all that will be required to register a
Varnasrama Shikshalaya in a village. These Shikshalayas will be run and monitored by a
local village Coordinator.
Unveiling the First Varnasrama Shikshalaya at Gundaipalyam!
It was a historical moment both for GLOVESCO and the villagers of Gundaipalyam to
witness the inauguration of first Varnasrama Shikshalaya. Gundaipalyam, a remote village
in the district of Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh, had the fortune of having the presence of His
Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami, Global Director of GLOVESCO, unveil the first
Varnasrama Shikshalaya on May 6th, 2008. “This will be the model for all such future centers
of true education” he said. Unveiling his own plans, His Holiness described that there will
be Varnasrama Vidyalayas, Varnasrama Maha Vidyalayas and Varnasrama Vidya Peethams
for those students who demonstrate natural inclinations for learning and teaching.
GLOVESCO will also provide support and mentorship, giving individual attention to the
students. Each Varnasrama Shikshalaya shall have a minimum of 5 students. As around 20
children eagerly listened to His Holiness at the opening ceremony of the first Varnasrama
Shikshalaya at Gundaipalyam, they were led to the next session of learning a Sanskrit
shloka by Sriman Bhagiratha Dasa, himself a senior student at the Bhagavatam
Vidyapeetham in Sri Govardhan. Also present at the inauguration ceremony were the
National Director for GLOVESCO, Sriman Bharata Chandra Dasa and the Andhra
Pradesh State Director for GLOVESCO, Sriman Hari Kirtan Dasa.
As young and old enjoyed the feast after the opening ceremony, a few devotees eagerly
discussed the historical occasion. Well, this is just the beginning!
Know how to Get-Involved in being part of GLOVESCO efforts. Visit Get-Involved page
at gloveco website : www.glovesco.org
Life is Education and Education is Life. This profound Vedic maxim is the sum and
substance of sanatana dharma or varnasrama dharma, an ideal setting and lifestyle for
continuous progress in material and spiritual development. The ancient system of
education, consisting of gurukula as the formal educational system and the varnasrama
rural setting acting itself as the non-formal educational medium, was gradually replaced by
the modern curricula and practice of textbook based “schooling”, usually far from the
practicality and truth. The failure of modern education is that though it makes one literate,
it does not train or educate one to be a fit individual in the context of a simple village
lifestyle. Rather the existing educational system siphons the villages of their educated
youth to the job and factory-based urban living to become uncultured.
A pioneer in the era of sustainable alternative living, GLOVESCO (Global Varnasrama
Educational Social and Cultural Organization) has education as a prime priority in its 8
petals consisting of:
1. Education & Training
2. Get-Involved (Leadership and Village Organization)
3. Cow Protection and Agriculture
4. Cottage Industries
5. Self-Realization
6. Health & Welfare
7. Vedic Family Planning
8. Children & Youth
In order to bring about an educational, social & cultural transformation, children and
youth should be involved at the village level. With this understanding, GLOVESCO aims
to introduce 108 “Varnasrama Shikshalayas” in each State of India by year 2011 involving
the children between 10 to 15 years of age. The Shikshalayas will be very simple in their
structure, curriculum and approach of training. His Diving Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON) repeated on numerous occasions: “First is Character. First is
Food”. This guideline is used to set the curriculum of Varnasrama Shikshalayas having the
basic tenets of character formation as “Truthfulness, Compassion, Discipline and
Cleanliness” and the basic tenets of food security as cow protection and an agrarian based
self sufficient living.
Varnasrama Shikshalayas will be simple since the village atmosphere is the ideal setting for
learning in itself. Accepting the basic guidelines of the varnasrama curriculum, providing
basic and simple living infrastructure for the students, completing an application form and
consequent approval from GLOVESCO are all that will be required to register a
Varnasrama Shikshalaya in a village. These Shikshalayas will be run and monitored by a
local village Coordinator.
Unveiling the First Varnasrama Shikshalaya at Gundaipalyam!
It was a historical moment both for GLOVESCO and the villagers of Gundaipalyam to
witness the inauguration of first Varnasrama Shikshalaya. Gundaipalyam, a remote village
in the district of Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh, had the fortune of having the presence of His
Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami, Global Director of GLOVESCO, unveil the first
Varnasrama Shikshalaya on May 6th, 2008. “This will be the model for all such future centers
of true education” he said. Unveiling his own plans, His Holiness described that there will
be Varnasrama Vidyalayas, Varnasrama Maha Vidyalayas and Varnasrama Vidya Peethams
for those students who demonstrate natural inclinations for learning and teaching.
GLOVESCO will also provide support and mentorship, giving individual attention to the
students. Each Varnasrama Shikshalaya shall have a minimum of 5 students. As around 20
children eagerly listened to His Holiness at the opening ceremony of the first Varnasrama
Shikshalaya at Gundaipalyam, they were led to the next session of learning a Sanskrit
shloka by Sriman Bhagiratha Dasa, himself a senior student at the Bhagavatam
Vidyapeetham in Sri Govardhan. Also present at the inauguration ceremony were the
National Director for GLOVESCO, Sriman Bharata Chandra Dasa and the Andhra
Pradesh State Director for GLOVESCO, Sriman Hari Kirtan Dasa.
As young and old enjoyed the feast after the opening ceremony, a few devotees eagerly
discussed the historical occasion. Well, this is just the beginning!
Know how to Get-Involved in being part of GLOVESCO efforts. Visit Get-Involved page
at gloveco website : www.glovesco.org
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the 4th wave of HDG Srila Prabhupada Movement : Establishment of a classless varnasrama society
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