Seer of Ramachandrapura Mutt Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami said on Sunday that the Vishnugupta Vishwa Vidyapeetha (VVV) set up by the mutt in Gokarna of Uttara Kannada district will open two special gurukulas for Halakki and Mukri communities in Gokarna from the academic year 2021-22.
Addressing a virtual press meet from Gokarna, he said that Gurukulas that have already been started at the vidyapeetha have received tremendous response from society. Taking inspiration from this and to preserve the culture and tradition of Halakki community, Halakki Gurukula and for the overall development of Mukri community belonging to Scheduled Castes, Chandragupta Gurukula will be opened from class six.
The two Gurukulas will be established by creating an environment that sheds light on the special features of both these communities at an estimated cost of ₹ 10 crore, he said.
With Indian traditional education, modern education based on NIOS curriculum will be imparted. Along with residential education, students are allowed to travel to and fro from their houses daily for studies.
In both these Gurukulas, while introducing students to the unique arts, culture, rituals, food, traditions and beliefs of the respective community, they will also be allowed to study the richness of the Hindu culture. Thus, by providing these students with the best contemporary education, the intention is to develop these students as an asset to society, the seer said.
Due to the influence of Western ideology, each and every branch of traditional Indian knowledge has either lost its original form or has its meaning. The rest are on the brink of extinction. The Gurukulas have been started with the idea that revival of these dwindling branches of knowledge should begin from the ground up, he said.
The seer said that even amid the pandemic, Gurukulas started by the vidyapeetha have received tremendous response in its first year itself and VVV will gradually open itself up to higher education. In this connection, VVV Vidya Parishad and Vyavastha Parishad have come up with a working plan and once VVV becomes fully operational, it will be called as the resurrection of Takshashila, he said.
Halakki community people are found in large numbers in Karwar, Ankola, Kumta and Honnavar taluks of Uttara Kannada district. Their Gurukula will be gradually developed into a permanent centre for holistic study of Halakki community, he said.
Like Halakkis, the Mukri community people are traditional disciples of the mutt based in Hosanagar in Shivamogga district. The mutt has decided to ensure their development on a priority. The intention of the Gurukulas is that the people of this community should join mainstream society, while retaining the individuality and uniqueness of their culture, the seer said.