GuruShishya Parampara

"Gu" means dark and "Ru" means light. So, "Guru" may be translated as darkness to light, or possibly one who leads from darkness to light. The Guru is a teacher who guides the Shishya's life or a spiritual mentor who leads the shishya (student) from blindness or ignorance to bliss, wisdom, and enlightenment. The Guru- Shishya parampara has been an inevitable part of education in the ancient Indian Culture. This involved the tradition of a living and learning relationship between the Guru and the Student (Shishya), signifying the emotional, intellectual and spiritual bonding between them. This strong bond between the Guru and the Shishya enables the Guru to become a mentor who leads the shishya from ignorance to wisdom, and enlightenment. Guru-Shishya proximity thus is not only a part of our social order but also a milestone in the life of a human being in society. The living science of education i.e. Bio Psycho- Psychic Science in our culture, has been long lost due to ignorance of the people in the era of the modernization. The revival of this spirit and its practice in the field of education at all levels is the urgent need of the hour. This traditional scientific educational culture can be the real Sadhna even in the modern scenario of science and technology and the de-novo era of informatics. MAEER strongly believes in the virtues of the Guru-Shishya parampara and has nurtured a dream of molding the future citizens by equipping them with the latest instructional technology in the ambience of the Gurukul System. This is the sole aim of establishing the project of Vishwashanti Gurukul, which is akin to an ashram on the beautiful banks of the free flowing Mula-Mutha river. Here, immense care has been taken to ensure the emotional, intellectual and spiritual interaction between the students (shishyas) and their respected and revered Guru. A unique blend of the ancient Indian Guru-Shishya Parampara with the modern methodology of instruction amongst the state of the art infrastructure is the essence of Gurukul.

Life @ Gurukul
At Vishwashanti Gurukul, an IB World School, the latest instructional methodology and a hi-tech education system with due emphasis on ancient Indian Heritage and Culture would enable the students to be global citizens of tomorrow. We aim at equipping the students ethically, technically and spiritually to face the challenges of the ever changing global environment. The residential students will cherish the learning and living experience at Vishwashanti Gurukul. The Hostel would be an extended family for the residential students where the House Parents will ensure the overall development of the students to create respectable individuals. The co-curricular activities on the campus include formal dining, presentations by visiting speakers, guest lectures on academic as well as self development topics. All the students are divided into small Tutor groups led by the faculty Tutor who shoulders the responsibility of the personal development as well as the academic excellence of these students. Whenever required, educational counselors are available to guide students in career planning and/or academic difficulties. The students will be trained in self-learning skills and self-study techniques thereby promoting self-development. Yoga and meditation are practiced daily for relaxation, concentration and competence. For the various sports activities like swimming, Archery etc, personalized professional coaching is available on the campus. A regular visit of a dietician to the campus will ensure that the nutrition factor is retained while offering variety in the diet. The educational counselor will help students as and when required.

Location and Environment

The greatest contribution to this project was made by none other than the family members of the Late Raj Kapoor, the Legend of Indian Cinema by way of donating the land at Rajbaug, Pune.

Rajbaug was formally handed over to Hon'ble Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad, Executive President and Director General, MAEER on 4th August 2002, by the Kapoor Family. This was a resting place for the late showman who found high solace here and had wished that the land be used only for social or educational purpose. To fulfill his dream, this land is developing into a large educational campus while still retaining its original serenity. This picturesque area exudes peace and tranquility and seems closer to Mother Nature in spite of being located in close proximity to the busy Pune-Solapur Highway. It can be the only place for 'Sadhna', the seeking of knowledge through the long forgotten concept of Gurukul. The Gurukul complex spread over 125 acres of lush greenery on the beautiful banks of the Mula-Mutha river is based on the matrix of Saptaswar, Saptarang and Saptarishi and is already in the final stages of manifestation at Rajbaug, Pune.