On the ocassion of its 29th foundation day, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yog Peeth on Saturday laid the foundation stone of India’s biggest gurukul – ‘Patanjali Gurukulam’ and the new branch of its educational institute ‘Acharyakulam’.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the ‘Gurukulam Evam Acharyakulam’ in a mega ceremony which was also attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav.
Speaking on the ocassion, Rajnath Singh hailed the initiative of Baba Ramdev and stressed on the need to have more such Gurukuls in new India “to protect cultural heritage while providing modern education.”
“Macaulay (British Lord) developed an education system as part of a conspiracy that almost wiped out our gurukul tradition. However, Swami Ramdev has restored the tradition of gurukul by laying the foundation stone of Patanjali Gurukulam,” he said, adding that the initiative will become a flag bearer of Indian culture and Sanatan Dharma.
He hailed the contribution of saints and gurus in keeping the Indian culture alive and eternal.
“Nalanda and Takshashila universities 1,500 years ago are the best examples of the same gurukul tradition from where the whole world was illuminated in the field of education. Swami ji (Baba Ramdev) is also working in the same direction and is fulfilling the dream of Maharishi Dayanand by establishing gurukuls,” Singh further added.
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav extended an invitation to Baba Ramdev to set up similar gurukuls in the state.
Yadav said, “In Treta Yug, Lord Ram and in Dwapar Yug, Lord Krishna received education in gurukuls. Swami Ramdev ji is becoming the bearer of the same glorious gurukul tradition and is giving glory to the gurukul tradition.”
Addressing the event, Ramdev laid down Patanjali Yog Peeth’s plan to further invest Rs 10,000 crore in education sector over the next five years.
“We received education from the gurukul and established a vast economic empire for human service….What we have received from the country, we have to return it to this country,” Ramdev said.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi and Amity group founder Ashok Chouhan were among the other dignitaries who attended the event.
