Latest news with #TheRiseoftheMarathas
The Print
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The Print
‘What about Rajput valour?' Battle of identity in Rajasthan BJP over NCERT's ‘glorification' of Marathas
More controversially, a map in the book's third chapter, 'The Rise of the Marathas', shows the Maratha Empire spreading from Kolhapur to Cuttack in the East, and Kolhapur to Peshawar in the North, where it extends into Gwalior, Jaipur, and Delhi. Not only that, the map shows Jaisalmer, Mewar, and Bundi in Rajasthan, as well as many parts of Punjab, as land ruled by the Maratha dynasty. It is the map that triggered the Rajasthan leaders and their loud criticism. All descendants of erstwhile dynasties in Rajasthan, cutting across party lines, including BJP leader Vishvaraj Singh from Mewar, Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh from Alwar, and Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati from Jaisalmer, have voiced their discontent over the glorification of the Marathas as well as the dominance attributed to them by the NCERT. The book, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, has but little information on the Rajputs. New Delhi: An identity clash between the Rajputs and the Marathas is now brewing within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan, as Mahima Kumari, the BJP MP from Rajsamand, and her husband Vishvaraj Singh, the BJP MLA from Nathdwara and Maharana Pratap's descendant have called out the inclusion of Jaisalmer, Bundi, and Mewar in the Maratha Empire on a map in the revised NCERT social science book for Class 8 students. Mahima Kumari, who is married to Vishvaraj Singh, met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi Wednesday. Mahima Kumari later said in an X post that the two leaders 'had a detailed discussion on the serious issue related to the incorrect depiction of history by NCERT'. Pradhan, she added, assured her of seriously considering the matter, followed by necessary actions. The NCERT has now set up a panel of experts to review the textbook, particularly the map. Earlier, Mahima Kumari slammed the NCERT book for undermining the Rajput dynasty and giving prominence to the Maratha dynasty only. Condemning the NCERT for distorting facts, Kumari said in an X post, 'First misrepresented as under British, now as under Marathas—who is going to educate the educationists in NCERT?! Are they capable of presenting the factual history of India—seriously doubt it.' Her husband, Vishvaraj Singh, said the history of the Rajput dynasty was far larger than that of the Maratha dynasty, and the NCERT's distortion of a map undermined the valour and contributions of the dynasties in Rajasthan. Speaking to ThePrint, Vishvaraj Singh said, 'Rajasthan was never a part of the Maratha dynasty. They may have tried but had no success. Rajputana's history is much larger than that of the Marathas. The efforts to portray not only a larger Maratha kingdom but also the Marathas themselves as having more valour were intended to undermine the contributions of the dynasties to Rajasthan. The NCERT is making one blunder after another—first, they put the Rajasthan dynasty under the British Empire, and now, they have included us under the Marathas. There is a need to educate the NCERT educationists themselves.' The map, which has sparked the controversy, is provided as a reference to a line in the book—'The Maratha brought large parts of India under their control….' On the map, the saffron colour, which represents the Maratha Empire, extends into Rajasthan. However, the text on the map does not mention Rajasthan or any of its Rajput states. The next paragraph reads, 'In northward expansion, the Maratha briefly controlled the area of Lahore, Attock, and even Peshawar (in modern-day Pakistan).' Michel Danino, head of NCERT committee behind drafting of new social science textbooks, had earlier said that the map was based on previously published maps in the public domain, and developed with expert consultation. He had also conceded that while the Class 7 textbook includes a disclaimer about the approximate nature of historical borders, this caveat was mistakenly omitted from the Class 8 textbook—something he said should have been included to avoid misinterpretation. 'Where's the credibility of NCERT?' Jaisalmer dynasty descendant Chaitanya Raj Singh condemned the map in an X post, claiming that the map wrongly showed Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire. He called the map 'historically misleading, factually baseless, and deeply objectionable'. Jaisalmer, founded in 1178 CE by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhati clan, had no documented 'Maratha control, taxation, or invasion' history, according to his post. Chaitanya Raj Singh said that the Mughals had failed to conquer Jaisalmer, which remained an independent princely state for centuries, before merging into the Indian Republic after Independence, yet went ignored. About the book, his post said, 'Such unverified and historically unsubstantiated information not only raises questions about the credibility of institutions like NCERT but also hurts our glorious history and public sentiments. This issue is not merely a textbook error but appears to be an attempt to tarnish the sacrifices, sovereignty, and valorous saga of our ancestors.' Before Chaitanya, Mahima, and Vishvaraj, Brigadier Bhupesh Singh of the erstwhile Bundi state also objected to the map, writing on X, 'Which is this imaginary empire that ruled Rajputana? We were never under the Marathas—do not hurt our pride with fabricated stories. Torturing and looting your people is not called an empire … Please stop this fakery, do not brainwash our children.' Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, the Congress politician and descendant of the erstwhile Alwar dynasty, also criticised the NCERT for presenting 'historically inaccurate and misleading facts' with regional and political agendas. 'Surprisingly, this map shows the entire Rajasthan under Maratha dominance, which never happened,' Bhanwar Jitendra Singh posted on X. 'Maratha history has always been in textbooks, but this map depicting the entire Rajasthan under Maratha control is additional in the new edition—July 2025 … It is a historical fact that in the 18th century, the princely states of Rajasthan—whether Marwar, Mewar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar, or others—were capable of maintaining their independence and autonomy.' In the 18th century, the two states renowned for their independent governance, military strength, and cultural identity were the Rajput princely states of Rajasthan and Bharatpur, where the Jat kings ruled, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh further said. He added that those rulers continuously struggled to maintain their autonomy against the Mughals, Marathas, and later the British. 'Historical evidence indicates limited Maratha influence in Rajasthan—raids only. The question of dominance or expansion does not even arise! Facts turn myths when history is distorted and presented on religious or regional grounds. This mistake by NCERT is an attempt to undermine the bravery, independence, and cultural contributions of the valiant rulers of Rajasthan,' his post read. Also Read: Muslim invaders, Rajputs, Bhils—Abanindranath Tagore's stories were written for Hindu unity The issue of 'Maratha dominance' A key concern among political leaders from Rajasthan's erstwhile royal families is how the NCERT book portrays the dominance and valour of the Maratha rulers, seemingly surpassing that of North Indian dynasties. A BJP leader from Rajasthan told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity, 'In the book, 22 pages are on the Maratha kingdom, but only two to three pages are on the North Indian dynasties. Neither Rajput architecture nor warfare strategies and historical battles found any place. Is this not a Marathi imposition?' 'Why is one state given so much importance while the North Indian states, which had been on the front lines against invaders, get so little space? Why should future generations not be told about the great North Indian kings?' the leader asked. Another Rajasthan BJP leader, who also did not want to be named, told ThePrint, 'In Rajasthan, since Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's demise, the current political scene has not been dominated by the Rajput community. The BJP is now looking to consolidate the Maratha constituency more than the Rajputs.' The leader added that during the Aurangzeb controversy, the Mahayuti alliance, including the BJP, celebrated Maratha valour and several films on Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj for the same reason—the political and regional consolidation of voters in Maharashtra. 'The BJP is much stronger in Rajasthan, so Rajput valour is not celebrated, like the Maratha's, as of now,' explained the leader. 'Reshaping India's political map', Chapter 2 in the NCERT book, attempts to tell Rajput history in two pages, with the header, 'Surge of the Rajputs'. 'Rana Sanga (early 16th century) unified several Rajput clans, won many battles against sultans, ultimately meeting defeat against Babur at the Battle of Khanwa,' the section reads. Playing up the battles between Rajputs and the Mughals, it adds, 'Mewar's ruler Maharana Pratap refused to accept Mughal suzerainty and became the face of Rajput resistance … A confrontation took place at the Haldighati pass in the Aravallis in 1576, and although the Mughal army had the upper hand, Maharana Pratap escaped and pursued, for years, guerrilla warfare against the Mughals….' 'While some Rajput states eventually allied with the Mughals—through diplomacy and marriage alliances—some, especially Mewar, did not accept Mughal dominance. During Aurangzeb's reign, several Rajput nobles rebelled, including Durga Das Rathore of Marwar, who fought to protect the independence of Jodhpur. Mughal authority thus remained limited in Rajasthan,' it further reads. On the other hand, a 22-page-long chapter, 'The Rise of the Marathas', is about only the Maratha rulers. The controversial map is also in this chapter on page 71. Sections like 'Who are the Marathas?', 'Foundations of Maratha power and the rise of Shivaji' with details of Shivaji's surgical strike, 'The Marathas after Shivaji', and 'Maratha administration' provide a wide overview. The chapter also has information on the Maratha military administration, maritime supremacy, judicial system, as well as the contributions of Maratha women, such as Tarabai and Ahilyabai Holkar. Many historians have written about the Marathas attacking Rajput states, even taxing a few of them, but there were no takeovers. Historian J.N. Sarkar wrote that during the fight over the inheritance of Rajasthan's Bundi dynasty in 1724, Marathas saw an opportunity and entered Rajasthan, soon collecting taxes from Kota, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, and Amer. However, they never completely controlled those cities. Considered an authoritative book on the Marathas and their history, 'The Marathas', written by Stewart Gordon, reads, 'Bajirao, as early as 1728, led a tribute-collecting expedition North, through western Malwa and into Rajasthan. After Bajirao's death, Maratha military contingents invaded Rajasthan almost every year. The strategy of Maratha involvement ran a similar course. During the succession fight after the death of Jai Singh of the Jaipur dynasty, the Peshwas mediated and invaded Jaipur and demanded huge tributes.' 'We can trace the increasing claims of Shinde, Holkar and Peshwa in Rajasthan. They sent their army into Rajasthan to collect the arrears of the large promised tribute. A smaller amount was collected at Kotah, Bundi, Jaipur, and Udaipur, but nothing like an administration was in place. As soon as the main forces of the Maratha Army left, the Maratha representatives were thrown out, and no tributes were paid.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Muslim invaders, Rajputs, Bhils—Abanindranath Tagore's stories were written for Hindu unity
Time of India
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
NCERT Class 8 Social Science book sparks royal outrage: Map ‘factually baseless, historically misleading,' says Jaisalmer king
On August 4, Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati, King (Maharawal) of the erstwhile kingdom of Jaisalmer, raised a pointed objection to a historical map published in the new National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 Social Science textbook. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a post shared on X, he drew attention to a map on page 71 of the chapter The Rise of the Marathas , where Jaisalmer appears as a part of the Maratha Empire, a depiction he calls 'historically misleading, factually baseless, and deeply objectionable.' 'This issue is not merely a textbook error but appears to be an attempt to tarnish the sacrifices, sovereignty, and valorous saga of our ancestors,' Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati wrote in a public statement, tagging Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the NCERT. 'In the context of the Jaisalmer princely state, no authentic historical sources mention any Maratha dominance, invasion, taxation, or authority.' His post also claimed that 'our royal records clearly state that the Maratha never had any interference in the Jaisalmer princely state.' Calling for immediate correction, he urged authorities to take 'prompt and concrete action' and termed the matter one that affects 'historical dignity, self-respect, and the integrity of the national curriculum.' Between accuracy and accountability Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati's remarks on the map fall within this broader context of curricular changes and evolving approaches to historical content. As of now, NCERT has not made a public statement regarding the specific concern about the representation of Jaisalmer. In his post, he referred to the depiction as one that affects 'public sentiments' and expressed concern on behalf of the 'entire Jaisalmer family.' The post underscores the role of visual elements like maps in shaping how historical boundaries and political affiliations are understood by students. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The ongoing conversation reflects how academic materials are being reviewed, interpreted, and engaged with by a wider set of voices. Whether through written text or cartographic detail, the question of historical accuracy continues to draw attention as part of India's education discourse. NCERT Class 8 Social Science book : Other updates This critique surfaces at a time when NCERT has already found itself at the centre of a larger pedagogical shift. As part of its revised National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE) 2023, the Council's new Class 8 Social Science textbook also presents major political transformations between the 13th and 17th centuries, including the rise and decline of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal dynasty, and the emergence of Sikh resistance. The new edition notably invites learners to examine India's medieval past with what NCERT describes as 'objectivity' and encourages them not to assign modern-day blame for historical events. 'Understanding the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule, or misplaced ambitions of power is the best way to heal the past and build a future where, hopefully, they will have no place,' the Council said in a statement quoted by ANI. Among the most recent updates in the textbook is the reframing of Babur and Akbar's legacies. The founder of the Mughal dynasty is introduced as both a military tactician and a figure whose campaigns involved the destruction of temples, drawing from Babur's own memoirs. Akbar, often remembered for his policies of religious accommodation, is now described as 'a blend of brutality and tolerance, shaped by ambition and strategy.' His role in the 1568 siege of Chittorgarh is noted alongside his efforts to include Rajput leaders in his court and translate Hindu epics into Persian. Aurangzeb's reign is similarly explored through both political and religious lenses. Students are introduced to his decisions to reinstate the jizya, destroy temples in cities such as Banaras and Mathura, and suppress minority groups. Yet the framing remains focused on helping students interpret history as 'a record of choices, consequences, and contradictions.' Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is noted in some historical accounts for initiating efforts to restore damaged temples and support Hindu cultural practices. Bottom line For students navigating India's evolving curriculum, the debate over how history is represented is no longer just about facts and timelines. It is about the lens through which young learners understand power, resistance, and regional identity. As conversations around historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity gain momentum, the current episode serves as a reminder that textbooks are not just repositories of information. They are tools that shape civic understanding and generational memory. What gets included, omitted, or contested will continue to influence how history is taught, and how it is remembered. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us
The Print
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Long before Op Sindoor, Marathas first carried out ‘surgical strike'. NCERT Class 8 book is proof
Referring to Maratha kings as rulers who 'established sovereignty', it says about Shivaji, '…within his lifetime, his exploits had become legendary across India and beyond'. The book describes Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire, as a 'strategist and true visionary' while introducing Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, as a 'brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities'. New Delhi: The NCERT's new Class 8 Social Science textbook, in a chapter called 'The Rise of the Marathas', compares a raid carried out by Shivaji on the Mughal enemy camp in the dead of the night to a 'modern-day surgical strike'. 'The Rise of the Marathas' adds that Shivaji raided his enemy's camp at night 'with only a few' soldiers. 'This daring raid resembles the modern-day surgical strike,' it says, with 'surgical strike' highlighted in purple. Another chapter, 'Reshaping India's Political Map', says Babur 'enslaved women' and erected 'towers of skulls made from the slaughtered people of plundered cities' when he entered the Subcontinent after being 'thrown out of Samarkand (modern-day Uzbekistan)'. Initially, the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate were part of the Class 7 social science curriculum. However, the NCERT has now replaced those chapters with new ones on the Magadha kingdom, the Mauryas, the Shungas, and the Sātavāhanas. Now, it is the Class 8 social science textbook that introduces students to the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the Marathas. In the textbook, named 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond', the NCERT has added what it has called a 'Note on some darker periods in history', along with a disclaimer. The note says, 'Understanding the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule, or misplaced ambitions of power is the best way to heal the past and build a future where, hopefully, they will have no place.' 'No one should be held responsible today for events of the past,' reads the disclaimer. ThePrint reached NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani for comment through calls and texts. This report will be updated if and when a response is received. Speaking to ThePrint, Irfan Habib, a historian of ancient and medieval India said history depended entirely on facts, not religion, and that the past could not be changed, just by removing parts of it from the syllabus. Habib added that no Constitution existed at the time, so all rulers ruled by the sword. Calling the revisions a part of political strategies, Habib said, 'Rajputs, for instance, were equally cruel. There is no need to see it through the prism of religion.' Dynasties would not have survived if the rulers were not good strategists or swordsmen, he added. 'This is a faulty and farcical way of going about making changes,' Habib said, adding that the distortion of history is a way of turning history into mythology. Also Read: Aurangzeb keeps haunting Maharashtra politics. This time, he can hurt Fadnavis' governance Shivaji was 'careful' not to attack religious places The book claims Shivaji was always 'careful' not to attack religious places and mentions a 'retaliatory action' that involved Shivaji attacking Surat, which, it says, was a 'great insult' to the might and prestige of the Mughal Empire. In contrast, it describes the Sultanate period as one marked by political instability and the destruction of temples and seats of learning. During Alauddin Khilji's conquests, 'Hindu centres such as Srirangam, Madurai, Chidambaram, and possibly Rameshwaram' came under attack, the textbook says. Discussing the Mughal Empire, the text says Akbar tried to intimidate the Rajputs during the Chittorgarh attack by proclaiming he had already occupied several 'forts and towns belonging to the infidels' and 'established Islam there'. Akbar, once called 'The Great Akbar' in history textbooks, ruled with a 'blend of brutality and tolerance', the text says, adding: 'Despite Akbar's growing tolerance for different faiths, non-Muslims were kept in a minority in the higher echelons of the administration…' 'Can't selectively glorify or vilify historical figures' Arvind Sinha, a retired history professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University, told ThePrint that history, as a discipline, should be rooted in objectivity, warning that 'prejudice' not only distorts facts but also has a harmful influence on young minds. 'You cannot selectively glorify or vilify historical figures. For instance, Shivaji cannot be viewed as a hero in isolation, without acknowledging the historical context, including Aurangzeb,' he said, adding that rulers operated under different circumstances, something that needed to be understood, not judged. He also drew parallels with Pakistani textbooks and their 'ideological portrayals' that made thinking among students narrow. 'If you omit facts or twist them to suit a narrative, you are not teaching history, you are promoting propaganda,' he said, adding that the problem was not limited to any one political party. 'Ideological influence, whether Marxist or Right-wing, has no place in History textbooks.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Aurangzeb is politics, not history. Indian Muslims must bury his ghost
