Did you know that in the early 1800s, almost every village in India had a thriving school, run by the community and open to children across castes and communities? Far from the stereotype of a land without structured education, India’s indigenous system was once a vibrant network of learning. This fascinating history comes alive in Dharampal’s classic work The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Indian Education in the Eighteenth Century, republished by Rashtrotthana Sahitya. The book sheds light on India’s thriving education system before colonial reforms, offering readers a glimpse into the inclusiveness and richness of indigenous learning traditions.
A Forgotten Legacy of Learning
First published in 1983, Dharampal’s The Beautiful Tree draws from British archival records, including the detailed 1822 survey ordered by Sir Thomas Munro, Governor of Madras. Reports from 21 districts of the Madras Presidency revealed a vast network of schools and centers of higher learning spread across villages and towns.
Contrary to the colonial narrative that India lacked organized education, these documents highlight how accessible learning was to people of different social and economic backgrounds. The book also features extracts from W. Adam’s reports (1835–38) on Bengal and G.W. Leitner’s survey (1882) on Punjab, both of which affirm the vitality of India’s traditional education system.
Rashtrotthana Sahitya Brings Back the Classic
By publishing this landmark work, Rashtrotthana Sahitya hopes to rekindle interest in India’s indigenous models of education. A spokesperson noted, “The Beautiful Tree is not just history—it is a reminder of how communities once nurtured knowledge without centralized control, and how deeply education was rooted in our cultural life.”
The book is expected to serve as a valuable resource for students, researchers, educators, and policymakers looking to understand the foundations of India’s educational heritage.
you can buy the book here by clicking - "The Beautiful Tree"
Keywords: The Beautiful Tree, Dharampal, Dharampal Classics Series 5 Books, Rashtrotthana Sahitya, Indigenous Indian Education, 18th Century Indian Schools, Thomas Munro Education Survey, W. Adam Bengal Report, G.W. Leitner Punjab Report, History of Indian Education, Traditional Learning in India