Feature

Takshashila-The world's first university

Abdul Mannan

THERE is some disagreement whether the great seat of learning once situated in Takshashila can be considered a university in the modern sense of the term. However there is a general agreement that this was the world's first center of learning of excellence that existed around 2700 years ago, as early as 700 BCE, located in the northwest region of India (35 km to west of Islamabad Capital territory and to the northwest of Rawalpindi in Punjab-just off the Grand Trunk Road). Some pundits argue if a university is defined as an institution for creation, storage and dissemination of knowledge no other institution would come near to this great seat of learning for being termed as a university. Takshashila was an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning.

Takshashila (pronounced Taxila in Urdu) was in real sense an international seat of learning where students from as far as Babylonia (Iraq), Greece, Syria, Arabia and China came to study. Takshashila could accommodate 10,500 students and during its time this university was the Harvard and MIT of the world.

Takshashila offered as many as 64 different specialized courses like Vedas, grammar, philosophy, ayurveda, agriculture, surgery, politics, archery, accounts, warfare, astronomy, commerce, futurology, occult, music, dance, etc. There were even curious subjects like the art of treasure hunting, decrypting encrypted messages, etc. The students would opt for electives and then would do indepth study and research into their field of choice. Admission seekers into this great seat of learning first had to complete their basic education in their local institutions and reach the age of 16 before they were eligible for admission. Admission was highly competitive and based purely on merit. Even the sons of Kings would have to prove their merit before they were considered for admission. The course of study at Takshashila extended to as many as seven years. The students were always spoken of as going to Takshasila to 'complete' their education and not begin it. Every single student who graduated from this university would become a well sought after scholar all across the subcontinent. There are not much of evidence to suggest that Takshashila had any female students in its campus.

The students were usually admitted to instruction in Takshashila by their teachers on payment of advance of their entire tuition fees, which would normally include lodging and food. In lieu of paying the fees in cash, a student was allowed to pay them in the shape of services to his teachers. To this class apparently belonged the majority of the students who attended on their teachers by day and received instruction at night. They gathered firewood for their teachers or cleaned their houses and did the cooking. Some were allowed to pay after the completion of their study. Some would even have to beg to pay their cost of education at Takshashila. Payment would normally be in gold.

Some of the students who graduated out of the Takshashila university included the great political master Chanakya (also called Kautilya/Vishnugupta) who not only authored the world's finest work till today on political duties, diplomacy, statecraft, economic policies, state intelligence systems, administrative skills and military strategy, called the Artha Shastra, consisting of 15 books. Chanakya also taught at Takshashila for some time and later on became a brilliant adviser to Chandragupta Maurya who founded the Great Mauryan Empire. Convinced by the brilliance of Chanakya, Chandragupta made him his Prime Minister. The Great Indian emperor Ashoka was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. Besides Chanakya other great scholars of their time like Panini (language and grammar), Jivak (medicine and surgery) and Charaka (medicine) also taught at Takshashila.

Takshashila was destroyed by the invading Huns who came from across Hindukush into Punjab in the fifth century, and never recovered. In 1980 Takshashila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations.

Professor Abdul Mannan is a former Vice-chancellor of Chittagong University. Currently he teaches at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. abman1971@gmail.com.