HISTORY, LEGENDS & MYTHOLOGY

Akbar, Birbal's alma mater in Bijnore, a shrine of wisdom

     Bijnore: In a belief of improving wisdom, the people of Ajampur village near Bijnore in Uttar Pradesh eat the soil from the premises of a historical monument, which is said to be the alma mater of Mughal Emperor Akbar and his intelligent and witty courtier Birbal. People from all walks of life frequent the monument in the hope that they will benefit by eating the 'soil of wisdom'. "Akbar and Birbal studied in this school. We have eaten the soil from this premises and experienced much difference for the better in our intelligence. Now, our children have followed suit and they have been doing well in their studies.

     The school is so popular that people from many places such as Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Meerut, Haridwar, Hrishikesh come here to collect a bit of soil from here," said Brhampal Singh, a villager. School teachers, who observed the performances of their pupils, claimed that children's mind become sharper by eating soil of the premises of the primary school that dates back to the Mughul era. "Soil of this school has special feature that children, who eat it become more intelligent. Some of my students have also eaten the soil. Their minds have become sharper after that," said Ganeshpal Singh, the principal of a local school. A student who has eaten the soil thrice shared his experience by admitting, "I was very weak in study. When people told me that one can become intelligent by eating soil of this school yard, I followed them and now I became more intelligent. I have started obtaining higher marks in exams," said Hargyan Singh, a student. The locals' faith in 'wisdom soil' has become a tradition that their children, prior to examinations, eat a bit of the earth from the historical site where Akbar the Great and Birbal studied to excel in the academics with a brain-wave of wisdom. No wonder, it is said that wisdom lies in being 'down to earth' and the children of Ajampur and its neighbourhood are out to prove this wise adage!
-Oct 10, 2006    

Previous File                            Current File