Friday, September 5, 2008

Teachers’ Day need other day -Guru Purninma or Lokmanya Tilak's birthday

5.9.08
Teachers’ Day need other day -Guru Purninma or Lokmanya Tilak's birthday

Country celebrates today as Teachers’ day on the birthday of S. Radhakrishanan who was a famous teacher and philosopher. I do not know when it was started but most probably when he was alive.
Whether Dr. Radhakrishanan was most famous teacher of the time or was it so because he could be president of India? In Wikepedia it is said that When he became President, some of his students and friends requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday, September 5. He replied that Instead of celebrating his birthday, it would be his proud privilege if 5 September was observed as Teachers' Day."

I was always wondered as to why Teachers day was celebrated in schools while Radhkrishanan taught in University, never in any school.

His taught as the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta (1921-?) and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University (1936-1952).

Hence, either Teachers’ Day should be celebrated in the University or a teacher of school should have been searched if traditional Guru Puja on Ashadhi Purnima was not supposed to be secular for that though that would have been ideal as Vyas was the best teacher who made a series of disciples which continues his teaching as Vedas and Puranas relevant even today. I am surprised as to how Radhakrishanan himself had not pointed out this!

In the historical era too Chankya was ateacher par excellence and Charaka and Sushruta in their branch of science.
Even among teachers of modern age, probably Du Rezio’s fame as a nationalist teacher at Calcutta or Bal Gangadahar Tilak or Master Surya Sen would have been ideal.

This I said to a lady teacher of the local NIFFT who teaches Engineering science and had come to me for a medical certificate and said that her college was opened and had no function today.

Nobody celebrated Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s birthday though he was the first President. Maybe because Nehru did not like him.

Dr. Radhkrishanan’s contribution was in philosophy yet for Philosopher’s day Shankaracharya or Vachaspait’s remembrance would have been ideal.

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