Vedic Education Towards Feminization: A Triśūl Ethnography

Abstract

The feminization of Vedic education has several aspects and issues of social change. To this recognition, this thesis analyzes social change and the re-emergence of Vedic education in Nepal concerning girls. There is a new trend of inclusion with modern subjects in the Gurukul education system. This thesis is prepared within this broad aspect of changing practices in the Gurukul education system, its modernization, and feminization. This work is an outcome of a multi-year study that observes the enrollment of girls in a Gurukul and waits till their professional life of priesthood. Some of the girls started priestly jobs before completing school education. The girls who have not started priesthood have joined to study Vedic/Sanskrit education further. Paradigmatically, I have adopted the Triśūl paradigm, which suits my field data. Triśūl is a trident or trinary set of wisdom. In Eastern philosophy, the trident is a symbol to express many meanings. I see it as a trinary set of wisdom such as a trident of sufferings called Ādhyātmika, Ādhidaivika, and Ādhibhautika. Also, it includes episteme of Jñāna Śakti, Kriya Śakti, and Ichha Śakti. I have tried blending the paradigm's cosmological sense in the write-up. This thesis is based on an ethnographic study of Kathmandu Girls' Gurukul (KGG). I observed the Gurukul for years and regularly conducted participant observation for nine months. When I completed the prolonged observation, KGG was merged with Chitwan Orphanage Gurukul. Again, I followed them through their merging process. I compared the similarities and differences between the two school cultures. I wanted to find out why the girls from various districts joined KGG. What was their pedagogy, and what were the challenges in the teaching-learning processes? What are the reasons for choosing these types of education? Do they see professional/ occupational scope for girls in this patriarchal society? Asking such questions, I observed their ways of life, teaching-learning, ritual performances, etc. I observed KGG in 2016 and 2017 and did continuous participant observation for nine months in 2017. The field study proved to be valuable in examining the evolving dynamics of society and the challenges faced by girls in Gurukul within the context of a gendered society. During this investigation, I explored various interconnected aspects, individuals, and locations, and they revealed five distinct themes to me. Firstly, the girls practiced the same curriculum, instruction, and assessment system adopted by the Nepal government. As a result, they can chant Swastivāchan in public ceremonies and perform Rudrābhiśek ritual services. So, I developed a chapter on recitals. Secondly, I observed the daily ritual since there are differentiations in the daily practices of the girls and boys. In the boys' Gurukuls, the boys perform the Sandhyopāsan ritual as prescribed in the textbook. However, in KGG, the girls are taught the course book more theoretically. They are made to complete the course but with some diversion in the daily practice. They are given yoga and prayer courses in place of Sandhyopāsan. Thirdly, the fieldwork found menstruation as an interrupting element in learning. The absence of the girls and Guru Āma during this period interested me to find out the causes. Upon analyzing the field data, the fourth identified theme was the existence of numerous gaps in the feminization of Vedic education. The individuals involved express optimism and a vision for cultivating female Vedic scholars and priests. Nevertheless, many individuals find themselves in a state of dilemma, grappling with the challenges posed by the disparity between theory and practice in their dual roles. I perceive this paradox as indicative of several gaps in practical implementation. There are different forms of gender perspectives: the singles, the couples and the combination of both that is Ardhanārīśwara. Ardhanārīśwara concept in Vedic tradition made me think about the ritual role of males and females. This theory or concept emphasizes the equal roles of both males and females, integrating them as symbolized by the union of Shiva and Parvati. This symbolism is also portrayed in the Paśupatināth temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. In front of the idol is a third person, the worshiper. The person is not a worshiper but also an interpreter of the notion of male and female. So, this analysis goes beyond duality or singularity but a trinary position. As a result, the Triśūl paradigm analyzes the positions of the realities. Therefore, the thesis serves as a concise document detailing the feminization and genderization of Vedic education, encapsulating the ontological challenges I encountered over the course of a decade. Epistemologically, I have illustrated the issues and challenges arising from the evolving social context in recent times. Theoretically, it is an application of my own 2013 proposition of Neo-Sanskritization. The study shows the status of caste-based society shifting from Sanskritization to Neo-Sanskritization. Paradigmatically, the Triśūl paradigm has been applied as an indigenous research domain of its context. In conclusion, this thesis envisions a future where female priests will offer their priestly services to clients through online connections and mobile app contacts.