The Lane Of Nostalgia

When the British entered the Indian subcontinent, they not only brought reforms to the social and economical sectors of India but some drastic changes were also seen in the education sector. This educational reform started in Delhi with the introduction of colleges and schools like St. Stephen’s College, Delhi College, and Delhi University.

From the lanes of Delhi; Image Source: Behance

After the Battle of Patparganj came to an end in 1803, General Lake was all ready to capture Delhi. This led to numerous changes in the city including social, economic, cultural, and political transformations. One of the most important things among these was the culmination of the western style of education in the Indian subcontinent. But this was not a sudden change. In fact, by then, Delhi was home to several indigenous education centers like madrasas and some special colleges that paid more attention to teaching subjects like astronomy, linguistics, and medicine.

The oldest school in Delhi was a madrasa. Set up by Aurangzeb’s general, Firoz Jang, the Ghaziuddin Madrasa was initially a typical madrasa school, but later on, it came to be known as a landmark for the inception of westernized education in India. It was in the year 1825 that the madrasa history was finally transforming. When the Delhi College was established, they, too, adopted the western education system and instead of teaching the students in Urdu, they changed their medium of communication to English.

The history of the college is laced with several roadblocks. First, when it was shifted to the Dara Shikoh Library, near Kashmiri Gate, it couldn’t survive for long and was shut down in 1857. Though for a few years, the college was re-established as an Anglo-Arabic college, yet again, this didn’t work out well. It was as if the future of the college was too bleak. Finally, in the year 1975, the college was affiliated with Delhi University and was finally renamed Zakir Hussain College.

Zakir Hussain College in Delhi; Image Source: Zakir Hussain College Delhi

The most noteworthy contribution of the Delhi College was its role in the intellectual, social, and artistic blossoming known as the "Delhi Renaissance." The college was transformed into a center for dialogues, conversations, and poet gatherings. It also produced books on subjects ranging from medicine to the legal system and translated western works into Indian languages. While Delhi College was the forerunner of modern education in Delhi, other institutions quickly followed.

After Delhi College, the next college that emerged as a torchbearer of western education was St. Stephen’s College. The college had very humble beginnings in a palace, located in Katra Khushhal Rai, Chandni Chowk. The college was established upon the request of Dr. French, the bishop of Lahore. The first principal of the college, Samuel Scott Allnutt, was also the founder of this college. With just three teachers and five students, this college was practically non-existent during the 1800s. Four years later, the college introduced its first course- Bachelor’s in Arts.

St. Stephen’s College in Delhi; Image Source: Times of India

The college was constructed by a famous British architect, Walter George. Initially, he had come to Delhi to work with Baker, but he stayed on even after independence and brought to life, one of the most famous colleges in Delhi. The college was shifted to the Kashmiri Gate Area later on. George's superior grasp of weight-bearing brick construction and India's harsh climatic circumstances resulted in an architectural masterpiece.

The next institution in line was the Hindu College. This, too, was started in a haveli in Shahjahanabad’s Kinari Bazaar. The founder of this college was not an elite politician or British officer, but the local citizens of Delhi. Initially, it was affiliated with Punjab University, but by 1902, the infrastructure of the college fell short in front of other colleges that were built by famous architects. A property near Kashmiri Gate was donated by Rai Bahadur Sultan Singh. but later on, the college finally got its much-deserved place on the Delhi University campus.

As we see, all these colleges were affiliated with Delhi, sooner or later in their tenure. But the Delhi University came to prominence in the year 1922 because of an act that was passed in the year 1922. Beginning with three colleges under its umbrella including, Hindu, St Stephen’s, and Ramjas, the university was initially located in the old Vice Regal Lodge.

Indraprastha Girl’s School in Delhi; Image Source: EduGorilla Listings

Last, but not least, another important institution in Delhi, Indraprastha Girls’ School, situated behind Jama Masjid, was said to be India’s oldest girls’ school. Housed in a palace of a wealthy Kayastha Theosophist named Lala Balkrishan Das, this school was run especially for the girls of Kayastha households. Lala Jugal Kishore, yet another member of the Kayastha community, tried to persuade the Kayastha families to send their daughters to school. This initiative, later on, established the fact that the school though was built for girls from all communities, the majority of the girls belonged to the Kayastha community.

The universities of Delhi still reverberate with tunes of colonialism and British-style education, reminding Indians of an important contribution made by the firangis.