NCERT Class VIII textbook: Forgotten heroes, Sikh Gurus’ defiance of Mughal persecution in focus

Stories of resistance and resilience, such as the rise of the Marathas, the contribution of women like Tarabai and Ahilyabai Holkar, the defiance of Sikh Gurus in the face of Mughal persecution, and tribal uprisings are in focus in the NCERT Class VIII Social Science textbook.

The book, “Exploring Society: India and Beyond", released this week, is also the first in the new NCERT curriculum to introduce students to the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Marathas and the colonial era.

Forgotten heroes occupy a significant space in the book with figures like Rani Durgavati, Rani Abakka, and Travancore’s Marthanda Varma profiled alongside chapters exploring India’s cultural knowledge traditions and its rich skill heritage.

At the beginning of the book is a section titled “Note on Some Darker Periods in History", where the NCERT offers context for the inclusion of sensitive and violent events, primarily war and bloodshed.

It urges students to understand “the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule or misplaced ambitions of power" dispassionately and states, “No one should be held responsible today for events of the past."

In the new book, the chapter covering Indian history from the 13th to the 17th century —"Reshaping India’s Political Map" — spans the rise and fall of the Delhi Sultanate and the resistance to it, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Mughals and the resistance to them and the rise of the Sikhs.

Describing Babur as a “brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities" and Aurangzeb as a military ruler who destroyed temples and gurdwaras, the NCERT’s new textbook points to “many instances of religious intolerance" during the Mughal period.

While it notes Akbar’s reign as a “blend of brutality and tolerance" for different faiths, it also mentions that “non-Muslims were kept in a minority in the higher echelons of the administration". Akbar is portrayed as having “ordered the massacre of some 30,000 civilians" after the siege of Chittorgarh.

The Marathas are depicted not only for their military might under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but also for their maritime supremacy and governance innovations.

The Sikh Gurus’ resistance to Mughal oppression is discussed in detail, highlighting their role in confronting injustice and preserving a distinct identity in challenging times.

The textbook also delves into colonial-era revolts such as the Sanyasi-Fakir rebellion, the Indigo uprising, and the Great Rebellion of 1857, “offering students a more inclusive picture of struggle beyond the familiar narratives,” said a faculty member of the textbook committee of NCERT.

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