A School

School

          The enthusiasm of Acharro Punnachar towards modern education and the intense will that intends to improve his own  nation in education and initiation are to incite the envy of all to day. He could perceive that they need modern education, institutional education to regain robbed prides in their majestic life education may be executed keeping pace with age, it is not possible at mere Bihar centered education in old method. On thinking this he at first set up three Buddhist Model School in 1868 respectively at Mahamuni Satbaria and Harbang of Chittragong. At the foundation of these three Schools, Punnachar was helped by respectively Jamidar Hargabinda Mutshuddi, Nazir Krishna Chandra Chowdhury and Gunamejur Mohather.  First institutional learning of the Bangali Buddhist was started through these three Buddhist Model Schools. The establishment of Model school  at Mahamuni was the commencement  of      a new age among the Buddhists of that region. Not only of Mahamuni but also the Buddhists - Non Buddhists, many people of the village situated alog side became renowned earing knowledge from that School. Benefactor late  Vagirat Barua, Chandra Shekhar Barua were the students of this very School. The study of Pali language  was started gradually in different educational institutions of Chittagong that is in Primary School, Secondary English School and Higher English School immediate after the first foundation of Pali Sanskrit School at Mahamuni by Acharryo Punnachar at the last of the nineteenth century (1885AD). The opportunity of teaching Pali was made even in Chittagong Collegiate School and in 1908 AD. Dharmabangshaw Mahasthabir used to teach Pali. "Angollo Pali High School' was founded at Pahartali in Chittagong with the financial favour of High Souled, benefactor, ever memorable, heavenly Gaganchandra Barua and with the effort of Singhali Buddhist Friar Sharananda who established Second Pali Sanskrit School at Mahamuni in 1901 AD. In Bangladesh, the great deed of this school on Pali study is unforgettable. Mahanchandra Barua of this very Pahartali was the first teacher of Pali in this School. Thereafter, Pandit Girishchandra Barua came.

The opportunity of Pali study up to Higher Secondary course even in several Schools in Calcutta was available in seventy decade of twentieth century. At the same time the provision of teaching Pali was available in some School at Tripura and in Darjeeling Govt. School. Besides, this provision was also available almost in leading School of Chittagong.

College

          The opportunity to study Pali at college level was created first in Presidency College and Bidyashagor College in Calcutta and in Govt. College of Chittagong  in 1906 AD. The provision to study Pali up to Graduation Honours (BA Honours) was available in these three Colleges. Mahamahopaddhyai Shatish Chandra Bidyabhushan was the Professor of literature and Pali language in Presidency College : In 1908 AD. Mahima Ranjon Barua got over the examination of Graduation with honours in the department of Pali from this College. It is he who was the first graduate among the Buddhists of Chittagong. Immediate after passing, he joined the Chittagong College as a lecturer  of Pali . Very next year, that is in 1909 AD. Rebatiraman Barua passed the  BA with honours in the department of Pali from this College.

Amullyacharan Ghosh Bidyabhushan was the first professor of pali in Bidyashagor college. Thereafter, Niradranjan Mutshuddi  joined this college as a phofessor in 1934 AD. The great deed of professor. Mutshuddi in pali teaching is incomparable. For the convenience of the learners he wrote and printed easily comprehensible note books of different Pali text books, Pali grammar and translation learning books in English and in Bengali. He was matchless in this work.

Prankrishna Vikkhu joined Chittagong Govt. College as the first professor of Pali department in 1906 AD. Thereafter in 1908 AD Dharmabangshow Mohasthabir of Calcutta was appointed in this College as the professor of Pali with the effort of Khirod Roy Chawdhury, the then principal of Chittagong college. The famous Palist of the subcontinent both Dr. Benimadhab Barua and Dr. Nalinakkha Datta were the students of Mohasthabir.

Pali study was inaugurated in Baharampur college in the first decade of twentieth century. In 1911AD. Dr. Benimadhab Barua, the glory of Asia passed BA (Honours) in the department of Pali from this college. In  1913AD. he appeared at the MA examination  in Pali from the University  of Calcutta as well as passed the examination and was placed in the first class first. He went to London in the pursuit of higher education in 1914 AD. and after completing thesis about Pali under famous palist Mr. & Mrs. Ridge Davids and F. W. Thomas he was ornamented with the title of D. Lit. It is to be noted that Dr. B. N. Barua is the person who first gains the title of D. Lit. among the Asians. 

In the session 1926-27, Pali course was inaugured at Feni College in greater Noakhali. Here  the first professor of Pali was Lalita Kumar Barua.

Pali course was inaugurated in City (main) Collage of Calcutta in 1932 AD. Debabrata Chakrabarti and Nirmal Chandra Barua were the professors of Pali in this college.

The old name of the college which is at present known as Surendra Nath College was Ripon College in Calcutta. The Department of Pali was opened in this college in 1935 AD. and Jatishchandra Ghatak was appointed in the position of first professor of Pali.

Pali department was opened in Kanoongopara   Sir Ashutosh College in 1940 AD. after Chittagong Govt. College in Chittagong. Here Surendra Barua was the first professor of pali and some days later Monindra Barua. The provision of learning Pali was provided in more two colleges in Chittagong after Sir Ashutosh College. These two colleges are Rangunia College and Noapara College. Sreemat Shashon Rakkhit Bhikkhu was the professor of Rangunia College (professor of Pali in Dhaka  University at present) and was a professor Sreelonka. Dr. Ranojit Barua was the Professor of Noapara College (present professor of pali in the Department of Oriental Language in Chittgong the Pali Department in Noapara College is much.

 The provision of pali study and teaching was provided at Maharaza Monindrachandra College in Calcutta in 1943 AD. and Provashchandra Mozumdar joined as a professor of pali. Later on he was appointed as a reader in the department of pali in the University of Calcutta.)

Dr. Gourinath Shastree was the Principal of Sanskrit College of Caleutta in the sixty decade of twentieth century. In 1958AD. Pali department was opened in Sanskrit College  at his earnest effort. The four professors are Dr. Herombanath Chattopadhyai, Dr. Binoyendranath Chowdhury, Dr. Sukomal Chowdhury and Dr. Sadhanchandra Sarker. Dr. Herombanath Chattopadhyai  complied with even the responsibility as the head of the department. At this time the opportunity of learning Pali was created in Ramthakur College of Tripura.

In 1962AD. a special educational institution was established in the name of Tripura Pali Institute' at Benuban Vihar of Agortala. The Founder of this institute was principal Sreemat Aryamitra Bhikkhu of Benuban Vihar. The noble deed of Aryamitra and this institute is unforgettable in preaching Buddhism and pali language study. The Syllabus of "Bangio Sanskrit Shikkha Parishad" at Calcutta was followed in Tripura Pali Institute:

University

 The man whose name is very firstly rememberable in respect of studying and teaching Pali Language at University level is universally reverend Sir Ashutosh Mukhapadhyai. It is he who has raised Pali learning at university level first in the  Indian Union. He inaugurated Pali learning in the University of Calcutta in 1899 AD. In this work he was helped by Kripasharan Mohasthavir of Chittagong. Mohamohopadhyai Satishchandra Bidyabhushan obtained MA Degree first in Pali from Calculta. University. In 1901 AD. he passed the MA. examination  in Pali as a private candidate and was placed in the first class. Later on more candidates obtained MA. Degree in Pali from this university successfully.                                               

In 1917 AD. Pali Department gained the dignity of separate department in Calcutta University. At that very time, on being departmental head, England returned Dr. Benimadhab Barua joined in this department as a lecturer. Then Mohendra Ghosh, Shamon Punnananda and R, Shiddhartha (Sreelanka) used to teach pali in matriculation course. Mukunda Mallik, Gakul Das Day, Mohendra Ghosh, and Shamon Punnananda used to teach Pali in higher Secondary course. Mukunda Mallik, Mohendra Ghosh and Gokul Das Day used to teach in BA (pass) course. Dr. Benimadhab Barua, Dr. Nalinakkha Datta, Shailendranath Mitra and Bhagaban Chandra Mohasthavir used to teach in BA honours course. Those who later on sued to work as professor were Anukul Chandra Bandapadhyai, Professor Provashchandra Majumdar, Professor Shukumar Shengupta, Dr. Dipak Kumar Barua, Dr. Kanailal Hajra, Professor Shamshundar Bandapadhyai, Professor Dharmadhar Mohasthabir and Dr. Asha Das headed by.

There is a department named "Sanskrit-Pali-Prakrita" even in Vishwa Bharati University at Shantiniketan. Bidhu Shekhar Sastri and sharat Kumar Roy had been in service of teaching pali there for long time. Kabi Guru worked hard much in Pali learning at Shantineketion and his labour became successful.

Even Dhaka University estublished in 1921 AD. provides the provision of Pali learning. To teach Pali was started with Bengali here since 1962AD. Pali was taught as part of BA honours course in Bengali Subjcet. Then Dr. Rabindra Vijay Barua was the professor of Pali department. Of course, there lies now a separate department named 'Sanskrit  and Pali' (from 1972AD) and BA subsidiary along  with BA honours in Pali and pali is being tahght even in MA course. DR. Shumangal Barua, Dr. Shashan Raxit Vikkhu and Dr. Shukomal Barua have been working  as professor at present. Satisfactory number of students remain there.

The provision to teach pali as the part of Bengali in honours level was provided from the moment of establishment of Rajshahi University (1955 AD). At that time pali was taught by Dr. Enamul Haque. After wards. professor Khandaker Abdur Rahim used to teach pali and at present professor Altaf Hossain is teaching Pali.

University of Chittagong was founded in 1966AD. At that time, the provision of teaching Pali was provided there, of course as the part of bangali subject in honours level. At that time  P. R. Barua, Principal of Chittagong Govt. College used to  Pali as a periodic professor. In 1968AD. taking Sanskrit, Pali, Araby and Farcy, a separate department was opened in the name of 'Oriental Language and MA. Course in Pali was introduced . Then Dr. Gafur, Professor of Araby was the head of the department. At that time more two persons were appointed as professor of pali, they are professor Ranodhir Brua and Sreenat Shilachar Shastri. After a period of time a separate department was opened adjusting Araby and Farcy and Sanskrit and Pali remained under oriental language department. Afterwards   BA honours and BA subsidiary course in Pali were introduced.