125th Foundation Day of CHBS (Central Hindu Boys School)
At present, when the standards of government schools are declining and private schools fees are a headache for the middle class of India, Varanasi’s CHS(Central Hindu School) stands out as a unique school.
The fee here is almost negligible like any other government school, while the academic standard is still as high as any other private school charging approximately 15-20 times the fee. The eagerness to study here can be clearly seen in the children of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh.
Undoubtedly, this school still upholds the high values on which it was established 125 years ago, and is still making invaluable contribution in the field of education.
This year the school celebrated its 125th foundation day, so it is my endeavor to introduce you to the glorious history of this school.
Central Hindu Boys School is located at Kamachha, Bhelupur, Varanasi. Presently it is affiliated to Banaras Hindu University.
Establishment
CHS (Central Hindu School)was founded in 1898 by Annie Besant.
Hindu School was first located in the Saptsagar locality, after a few days it moved to English Kothi which is situated in the Nandan Sahu locality.
Later the King of Banaras granted land for the well establishment of Hindu school After this, the school came to Kamachha and since then it has been located here. Later this school was taken under the administration of Banaras Hindu University.
Expansion of Hindu School
In those days a serious flaw had arisen in the Indian education system. The schools, colleges, and universities that were opened by the British government were all opened keeping in mind the British interest and their sole objective was to maintain British imperialism in India.
As a result, Hindu culture did not find any place in the curriculum of all these educational institutions.
Despite being a foreigner, Annie Besant was an immense supporter of Hindu culture and believed that there should be an educational institution based on Hindu culture where along with modern Western education, knowledge of Hindu culture should also be given to the students.
To achieve this objective, the Hindu School was established by Annie Besant.
The Hindu School expanded quite a lot Under the leadership of Annie Besant. Soon, as the school expanded, Hindu Balika Vidyalaya (Central Hindu Girls School) for girls was also established.
The Ranvir Sanskrit School established by the King of Kashmir was also included in the CHS Vidyalaya.
“The national movement for girls’ education must be on national lines: it must accept the general Hindu conceptions of woman’s place in the national life, not the dwarfed modern view but the ancient ideal.
It must see in the woman the mother and the wife, or, as in some cases, the learned and pious ascetic, the Brahnmavadini of older days.
It cannot see in her the rival and competitor of man in all forms of outside and public employment, as woman, under different economic conditions, is coming to be, more and more, in the West.
The west must work out in its own way the artificial problem which has been created there as to the relation of the sexes.
The East has not to face that problem , and the lines of Western female education are not suitable for the education of the Eastern girls.
There may be exceptional cases, and when parents wish their daughters to follow the same course of education as their sons, they can readily secure for them that which they desire.
But the national movement for the education of girls must be one which meets the national needs, and India needs nobly trained wives and mothers, wise and tender rulers of the household, educated teachers of the young, helpful counselors of their husbands, skilled nurses of the sick, rather than girl graduates, educated for the learned professions.”
The above statements are Annie Besant’s views on women’s education.
Mecca of Swarajis
Annie Besant was a strong supporter of India’s independence and was counted among the most influential nationalist leaders of India. On the insistence of Annie Besant, all the national level big nationalist leaders used to come regularly, and meetings, conferences, and committees used to take place in the campus of Hindu School.
Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary Mahadev Desai published a large collection of Mahatma Gandhi’s letters in nine volumes with the name “Day to Day with Gandhi”, according to which Gandhi himself was not only associated with the Hindu school rather, he also expected active contributions from the teachers and students of the Hindu school in the freedom struggle. For more information on this topic please visit : https://nithinks.com/2023/07/30/dalmia-bhavan-a-timeless-journey-through-history/
Gandhi was not disappointed by the Hindu school, this school has played a major role in India’s freedom movement.
This school, dedicated to the service of the nation for 125 years, is still contributing significantly to the development of the country.
The performance of the students of this school has been excellent in the entrance examination of the prestigious universities of the country.
Varanasi has always been known as the capital of learning. Schools like Central Hindu School will help Varanasi to maintain this reputation further in future as well.
