Published Paper


Swami Vivekananda View's on Education

C. Neela Devi

Page: 152-159
Published on: 2023 December

Abstract

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the ideal speaker for Hinduism is well-known globally for his spiritual wisdom of Hindu religion. Among the modern Indian religion reformers, Vivekananda argued for equality of men and women. Because, educating women was the most important way of salvation for India according to Swamiji. Education develops thought capacity and enhances creativeness through awakening women on the value of their own humanity and enabling them to strive for distinction denied by patriarchal cultural norms and backward traditions. Swami Vivekananda is the first monk to uphold and do work for freedom and equality of women and realized the importance of women for the society as well as the nation. He identified that the ignorance of women was the main hindrance for the progress of India.  He insisted that women should be put in the position of power to solve their own problem in their own way and this cannot be possible without education. He engaged throughout his life for the development of women education. His objective of education is man making and character building– these principles also applied in field of women education. His educational perspective is based on applied Vedanta and western culture. Thinking the different social status Swamiji prepared different curriculum for the women. He also said mother tongue is the best medium for the social and mass education. In the post independent India, still women are still suffering from many chronic problems such as physical, social, political, cultural, economical etc. In the present paper, the author tries to clearly show the thoughts and ideas of Swami Vivekananda’s regarding women education and also tries to present his views with the present scenario.

 

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