Five Major Misunderstandings Of 64 Kala Education
                     Five Major Misunderstandings Of 
64 Kala Education
Chaitanya Kumari
Writes informational articles on ancient Indian 
artisan vocational education,what is niti ,Niti 
shastra  along with others articles on finance, 
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vocational education of ancient india
Providing knowledge about the 64 kala was an integral element of 
the ancient Indian educational system. In the gurukuls of those 
days, the 64 kalas were treated on par with the 14 vidyas. But 
things started to change during the Colonial British rule of India. To 
further their selfish interests, these colonial powers gradually 
destroyed the age-old educational model of Bharat.
Several misconceptions about the vidyas and kalas were 
propagated, and unfortunately, most of the Indians believed that to 
be true. Sadly, many of those wrong notions continue even to this 
day.
 Firstly, many people erroneously think that these kalas include 
only fine arts, which shouldn’t be included in the school 
syllabus. They should be kept apart from mainstream 
education. It is argued that students who intend to learn any of 
these arts should do so separately. They can enroll in 
institutions specific to teaching these kalas.
 But the truth is that a majority of the skills covered under 64 
kalas put a student in an advantageous position. They make 
sure that as soon as a student leaves school or college, they 
become employable. Young individuals possessing 
knowledge of the kalas have an option of even choosing self-
employment. Building a successful career won’t be so tough 
for them.
 The second widespread misunderstanding is that these kalas 
are not considered to be holistic. They are often viewed 
merely as crafts that help people earn a living. But it has to 
be noted that in ancient India, each of the 64 kalas was seen 
as a representation of a specific divine aspect. They are 
disciplines that awaken the creativity latent in humans; they 
help people to become conscious of the spiritual angle of 
existence.
 There is one more widely held belief about the 64 kalas. It is 
said that the crafts covered under the Kalas are inferior to 
other disciplines. But the fact is that, according to the 
Gurukul educational system, every kala in “64 kalas” is of 
equal value. The craftspeople treat their craft as a form of 
worship of the divine.
These people put in a lot of hard work for many years, under the 
guidance of their teacher. It’s only afterward that they attain the 
expertise to make it their profession and work independently. 
Indian society considers this dedication and perseverance worthy 
of reverence. And that is exactly what the skilled artisans got in 
those days: respect. Even the gurus imparting knowledge of 64 
kalas commanded the same veneration as their counterparts 
teaching the 14 vidyas.
 The following is a harsh reality of modern India: More than 
seventy-five years have elapsed since Independence. Still, the 
country is persisting with the same system of education that 
Britishers introduced almost two hundred years back. At the 
same time, subjects taught in schools and colleges are 
considered higher in value than the 64 kalas.
 Those subjects help students to enhance their earning potential 
in this competitive world. But when it comes to making an 
individual develop wisdom, they cannot match the kalas. It’s 
only when Wisdom is what allows us to use knowledge for 
ethical and positive ends.
 Here is the fifth misconception regarding 64 kalas. It is thought 
that these kalas are completely disconnected from the 14 
vidyas. In this context, 
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