Description
There is no doubt that the organization of education in Mughal India was on markedly different lines than the one created slowly and with a very tight purse, created by the British in India in the nineteenth century, patterned after European institutions. The fact that its education system was different does not necessarily mean that it was purposeless and ineffective. The most important centres of medical education during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however, were located in Iran, from where many physicians in India were recruited.” A sizeable number of physicians of the Mughal period are said to have attained their knowledge from various academies in Lahijan (Gilan), Mashhad, Isfahan and Shiraz.“ Mir Muhammad Hashim, better known as Hakim Hashim, who later became tutor to Prince Aurangzeb and also opened his own madrasa at Ahmadabad, remained in the holy cities for twelve years to acquire knowledge. In India he was a student of Hakim Ali Gilani.” Similarly, the famous Gilani brothers attained their education in Iran before migrating to Mogul India. A certain Hakim Muhammad Rafi opened a hawaij kadah (clinic) for the treatment of the poor. Thus we see the Mughal scholarship and system of education was basically not confined only to theology or theological themes. A number of ‘rational’ subjects like medicine, zoology, botany, chemistry, physics, geography and gemology were studied and taught. Secondly, it would be incorrect to say that the Mughal schools and new colleges were heavily oriented towards religious education or training.