From Yugas to Pehchaan The Street School: The Chalk Circles Continue

Have you ever met someone and felt that you have known them for years, even though they are practically strangers? Almost as if you were meant to meet- to learn/teach each other some lesson? Maybe this person could have been walking their dog in the neighborhood, or the kind fruit seller down the road or perhaps the 1st teacher who made your dreams feel worth it? In Buddhist Philosophy, ‘The Red Circle Theory’ refers to this same concept. It suggests that two people destined to meet will inevitably do so, no matter their diverging paths or circumstances, as if enclosed in an invisible red circle.

Perhaps this circle has been ever-present — from the first chalk circle drawn by our teachers to the circle of life that goes on. It is in teaching that we find its meaning- a humble chalk circle that binds classrooms across the world, becoming a profound metaphor in the journey of education through the cosmic ages of Yugas. Where each era re-emphasizes now just the way we learn but also the way knowledge is sought.

What is the meaning of a chalk circle?

Out of all the geometric shapes that exist, the circle is the everlasting one. A chalk circle thus represents the continuous process of learning which evolves through life. Yet it’s nature of chalk makes it both permanent and temporary. It reminds us that life itself is a constant process of learning and unlearning- as we walk through different seasons. Thus, when a teacher uses their chalk, they carry forward the ancient ritual of transforming thought to form, imparting knowledge into tangible instructions.

But you may ask- why put so much emphasis on a circle? Well, in Hindu cosmology, the circle represents wholeness and protection- it is in this eternal cycle that time unfolds. By representing the ‘Samsara’- the wheel of existence turns through all the Yugas or eras. So when a teacher draws a chalk circle, they are creating the sacred ground of wisdom where even the ordinary gets transformed into the extraordinary exchange of knowledge.

Chalk circle drawn on chalk-board

Education over the Yugas

Satya Yuga: The Age of Truth

It is in the 1st Yuga- that knowledge can be found in its purest format within forest hermitages and gurukuls- where learning was seen as the sacred communication of truth, and thus this golden age was termed as ‘Satya Yuga’.

During this time, disciples would live with their gurus, absorbing wisdom by being in close contact with nature. Thus, classrooms were not confined by buildings and knowledge was transmitted through oral lessons- passed down from generations. It was through this model that the Vedas survived a millennium.

Thus, education encompasses intellect, spirituality, emotions, as well as the physical realm. Students learned an array of subjects- ranging from astronomy through stars, mathematics in architecture and philosophy through lived experiences, amongst many others. The chalk circles in Satya Yuga- were formed by the Guru’s walking stick on forest land- while they might get washed away with rains, they remained permanent on eager minds.

Treta Yuga: The Silver Age of Structure

As once comes to the 2nd Yug- or the Treta Yug, educational institutions take up more structured forms. This age is known for its great epics like Ramayana, whose stories were composed and transmitted as a means of curriculum for the entire civilization. Dharma became the organizing principle of learning, which promoted ‘righteous duty’.

In the Trera Yuga, the chalk circles went beyond the dual relation of guru-shishya and included larger communities as well. Schools of thought emerged, which encouraged an environment of debate and discourse. Amongst all this, learning retained its sacred character of being a divine gift.

The cycle of Yugas

Dvapara Yuga: The Bronze Age of Complexity

Dvapara Yuga became the era of practical and strategic knowledge- and was shaped by the epic of the Mahabharata and its teachings. Thus, education became more philosophical and spiritual, while simultaneously focusing on the age of warfare and diplomacy.

This way, educational institutions become more specialised. For instance, Dronacharya’s academy trained princes in warfare, while sages like Vyasa helped in organising knowledge. The episode of Eklavya reveals how access to education had begun to be a common theme that would unfold in the coming ages, as knowledge would soon no longer be freely available and would be determined through social hierarchies.

Thus, in the Dvapara Yug, the chalk circle begins to define the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion, where knowledge began coexisting with inequality.

Kali Yuga: The Iron Age of Mass Education

Finally, we come to the Kali Yug- the present time, which is surrounded by darkness in the form of unequal access to information. Modern times have evolved classrooms to structured systems and standardised curricula, which are carefully designed to produce masses of students for the capitalist world.

It is in this final Yuga that education faces several obstacles in the form of commodification and a transactional form of education. The standardised testing and increased competition of these modern institutions reflect the Kali Yuga’s emphasis on material achievement over spiritual connection.

Throughout Hindu Mythologies, the circle has served as a powerful symbol of wisdom and protection. In the Ramayana, the Lakshman Rekha is drawn around Sita as a form of protective knowledge created through age-old wisdom. Krishna’s Sudharshan Chakra represents the circular nature of cosmic justice and the wisdom of cutting illusions. This perfect balance is maintained through true knowledge, and how it can slice through ignorance to preserve the learner’s wisdom. While in the Chakravyuh, the complex circular military formation reflects the great knowledge of warfare and strategy, which young Abhimanyu learnt to enter but not exit.

The earliest classrooms thus existed in the form of guru-shishya paramapara, where circles were formed as invisible bonds of love and dedication between the teacher and student. Re-emphasising the Buddhist philosophy of the red circle theory and how this geometric shape helps make a protected space for knowledge sharing.

Econama sustianable notebooks given to students at Pehchaan The Street School

Interpretation in Modern Times

In modern times, the importance of chalk continues, as even a broken chalk can continue to write; the dedication that a teacher shows in their teaching is unparallel. This breaking and continuing mirrors every education that has faced challenges and persists.

The chalk’s temporary nature- of being easily erased yet constantly renewed- reflects the Buddhist philosophy of impermanence governing all existence, including the Yugas. Each lesson, when wiped, makes space for new teachings- reflecting how each cosmic age gives way to the next.

In the current times, organisations like Pehchaan The Street School can take forward this age-old tradition of guru-shishya by forming classrooms in the immediate environment, not confined to the restrictions of the unequal educational institutions. Thus, they can build Satya Yug even during these times of Kali Yug. Pehchaan The Street School is an important reminder that just like chalk may fade, its permanence remains- these shifting classrooms may change, but the lessons imparted by the teachers remain like treasures with the students.

Hence, Pehchaan The Street School is on a mission to make education a right of every student irrespective of their socio-economic circumstances and over the past decade has grown to serve more than 1600 students across different centres in the Delhi-NCR. Since Pehchaan The Street School is an independent organisation, it depends solely on crowdfunding and community involvement. By holding weekend classes, volunteer teachers are able to connect with the students and replicate the guru-shishya relationship of olden times.

In this same spirit of conscious service, Pehchaan The Street School’s collaboration with @econama_notebooks exemplifies how contemporary education can honour one constant teacher throughout the Yugas- our earth. Their eco-friendly notebooks are made of sustainable materials and are similar to the palm leaves or bark that ancient gurukuls used for learning. Just as forest sages taught in harmony with nature, today’s students can write on notebooks which respect our trees and nature.

This partnership not only emphasises the community society needed for initiatives like Pehchaan The Street School, but also the cyclic wisdom of the Yugas- where service of learning must be given back to nature and the society with gratitude.

Hence, in modern times, Pehchaan The Street School continues the same mission of Satya Yuga’s ancient gurukuls of democratizing education beyond the four walls.

The teaching must go on

The Yugas help us understand that educational forms should adapt to serve each era’s needs, as reflected in the efforts made by organisations like Pehchaan The Street School, where education is sought to empower students to help them discover their own identity or ‘Pehchaan’. Thus, the chalk circles drawn during lessons, along with this ancient understanding, symbolise how education honours both the eternal and the evolving.

However, for Pehchaan The Street School to continue this service, they need your support through donations. Pehchaan ki Diwali is one of the biggest drives in Delhi NCR, giving you an opportunity to contribute to this mission of accessible education. So this Diwali, you celebrate traditions- be the light in an eager student’s life- so they may continue the tradition of learning to achieve their dreams.

To conclude, the chalk circle helps us realise that education is not about buildings, technologies, or luxury. It is about the eternal opportunity in learning- drawing a boundary around possibility and inviting transformation to begin. So who knows, the next time you meet someone, they might just teach you something, forming the red circle theory.

Partnerships:

@econama_notebooks: https://www.instagram.com/econama_notebooks/

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