Prof Satya Dev Gupta
A few days ago, “University Grant commission” drafted a new syllabus of history for Bachelor of Arts (BA) students as Learning Outcome Based Curriculum Framework (LOBCF) “THE IDEA OF BHARAT” which glorifies India for her heritage, culture, civilization, society, saints, and political heroes who have put a stiff resistance against the barbaric invaders, and all other aspects upon which a nation could feel proud. The step taken by the Modi government created ripples in the Left and some Islamic groups which are reflected in the Left supporting print media. “The Wire, Telegraph National Herald” etc echoed in left-lined electronic channels. The Left ideologues cried for saffronization of history while Asaduddin Owaisi looked at it with raised eyebrows and called it against “Kom”.
Series of decades passed, generations to generations wrong narratives about the history teaching has been thrust upon the students by the Leftists and British to undermine and subvert the Indian essence in every aspect. Paper 1 of the newly drafted syllabus with 1st unit includes on “Concept of Bharatvarsha”, Indian Concept of Time and Space and focuses on old Indo-Aryan religious, social, cultural, mythological aspects and downplays the Mughals and other brutish foreign invaders. The details are projected in the next paragraphs. Unit (2) provides an evolution of languages, description of Indian arts and culture, Indian education system, and ethics of valor. Unit (3) pertains to “Dharma, Philosophy, and Vasudev Katumkum”: the ever highest-rated values which consider “whole world is a family”. It also emphasizes polity and governance; the Concept of “Gram Savrajya and Janpad” and Unit (4) expresses Science, Environment, and Medical Science. It includes the Indian ways of environmental conservation, Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Health consciousness, the Indian numeral system, and Mathematics.
This is the first time the UGC, has drafted a complete and comprehensive syllabus in comparison to previous issuing the general guidelines. ” A serious remodeling of medieval period has been done that covers larger portions of India for a better understanding of Nation history” The Commission notes in the preamble to the proposed draft. The changes in the curriculum to the Bachelor of Arts (History) degree, which will be taught in private and public universities, are reminiscent of several previous attempts by the current ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, to use history education as means to disseminate Hindu and Indo-Aryan religious ideas about India’s past, critics note. The Commission maintains that this syllabus is to serve as a guiding factor, but previously, it had suggested that universities and colleges can modify general guidelines it issues up to 20 to 30 percent. The old syllabus included Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) shall be abandoned, and now the very first paper of history is titled “Idea of Bharat”, which covers pre-historic times and the early historic period. It includes topics such as “Concept of Bharatvarsha” ‘Eternity of synonyms Bharat’ and ‘ The glory of Indian Literature:-Ved, Vedanga, Upanishads, Epics, Jain and Buddhist Literature, Smriti, Puranas, etc.’ The University Grants Commission of India (UGC) has put a draft history syllabus for undergraduates that focuses on Indo-Aryan religious texts and underplays the narrative and impact and rule of brutal invaders.
The Indian concept of time and space, often orated by Pandit while performing a religious ritual of “Sankalp” echoes the “KalYug Era Year, Month Day, place and Space” has been squeezed and compressed to make it fit in the western and Left restricted finite packets. The great epics e.g. ‘Ramayana and Mahabharata’ projected as mythological epics. Indian Timeline, according to some experts, the era of Lord Budha and Mahavir is about 1300 BCE, although yet to be established and documented and that of Aadi Shankracharya about 500 BCE. Many other great events in the Indian Timeline are fitted in Western way wrongly as it suited to them.
Kautilya’sArthashastra( concerning state policies, military, and economics in ancient India), has been given due space. The texts on ancient and medieval India by Left-Liberal prominent historians like R.S. Sharma and Irfan Habib, replaced by nationalist writers.
How India has been decimated by a conspiracy hatched by the Left and British in general and historical aspects, in particular, is highlighted in the subsequent context. “In the old syllabus” PAPER 1: HISTORY OF INDIA-1 states as reconstructing Ancient Indian History: that interprets as, a country naming “India, Bharatvarsha, Aryavrata” was feigned and spurious and laborious endeavour had been made to reconstruct History of India. After mentioning Prehistorical hunter-gatherers, the advent of food production straight away comes to “Harappan civilization”. It is categorized to allude to Aryan as invaders and outsiders who have destroyed age-old civilization. Although there no such proof and a further recent archeological survey indicate that this civilization could be an offshoot of Vedic culture, as Vedic Literature is full of geographical pieces of evidence related to India only, indicating that Aryan was the original natives and didn’t come from outside.
The new drafted syllabus refers to PAPER 3: History of India, From Earliest Times to 550 C.E (common era) means AD. It mentions Harappan Civilization as INDUS- SARASWATI CIVILIZATION and debate on the relationship of Indus, Saraswati civilization and Vedic civilization, significant features of Indus-Saraswati Civilization, its continuity fall and survival. In UNIT II- of PAPER 3 the new syllabus negated the myth of the Aryan Invasion and declared India as the Original Home of Aryans. In UNIT III the period from Sixth Century BCE to Mauryan Age is mentioned. Mahajanpada, Republic, and Growth of Urban centers, Rise of Magadhan Imperialism, Religious systems in 6th century BCE, Buddhism and Jainism, Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta, administration, Ashok and Greek Invasion. The ambiguous, obscure, and contradictory part of the history has been revealed in the context of the old and new syllabus. The further detailed discussion is out of the scope of this article, so it is better to confine ourselves to the salient features.
PAPER 5: From 550 C.E. to 1200 C.E
Refers decline of GUPTA Power, Huna Invasion, Pushyabhuati Dynasty, Arabic Invasion, Kanyakubja, Period of Harsh, Origin of Rajputs: Various theories, Dynasty of Kashmir, Nepal, South West India, North Eastern India, Regional Powers of South and Deccan, Pallava, Cholas, Pandya, Chera, etc. In this period it is obligatory to mention that most of the people in India are ignorant about their glorious past because of the infusion of distorted narratives. The present draft intended to glorify the endeavor and resistance put by our heroes against the foreign invaders, may it be Arabs 712 C.E. or anyone else. Raja Dahir of Sindh is glorified rather than Mohmmad Bin Qasim. Bappa Rawal of Mewar and Jaysima Varman of the Rashtrakuta Empire fought series of battles to drove the Arabs out of the country. Bappa Rawal decimated the invaders and chased them beyond Ghazni, in present Afghanistan. Most of the Arabs were killed. The ferocity and bravery of Bappa Rawal were so astounded that Arabs didn’t dare to attack prosperous India for the next 400 years. Bappa Rawal not only liberated Sindh from Arabs but also ruled the entire northwestern frontier on a vast geographical area deep into central Asia from Sindh, Baluchistan, Ghazni, Kandhar Khorasan, Turan, and Iran administering from Mewar. The South and Deccan Dynasties Cholas, Pallava, Pandya, etc. had a lot of contributions in spreading the Indian essence, and culture to South East Asia.
PAPER 7: History of India, UNIT- I (1) Medieval India. Along with Turks, Khiljis, Tuglaqs, Timur, Ruling Dynasties of Assam, Rajputs, Orissa, Kashmir, Vijayanagar Empire also included.
UNIT II – Refers to Afghans and Mughals, Babur’s Invasion, Re-establishment of Mughals, while Hemu( HemchanderVikramaditya, Rana Pratap, Rani Durgavati, Chand Bibi getting the due place.
UNIT III- Not only Aurangzeb but Shivaji, Concept of Martha’s Hindu Pad Padshahi, Resistance of Mewar and Marwar, Sikhs, Jats, and Bundelas.
UNIT IV- Refers to Society and Economy.
UNIT V- Mentions Religion and Culture (Bhakti movement, Sufism, Sikhism, and Other Sects.
PAPER 9(1707-1857) and PAPER 10(1957-1947) Mentions Downfall of Mughals, Expansion of Martha’s Power under Peshwas, Entry of East India Company and expansion of its empire, 1857- 1st war of independence, Queen Victoria’s Direct rule in India. Rise of Sikh Power under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A national movement for independence, formation of Indian National Congress, Revolutionary movement, entry of Gandhi Ji, 1st World War, Neta Ji Subash Bose, Muslim League and partition of India.
SUGGESTED HISTORIANS AND READINGS
Out of Context:
Previous History experts distorted the events and modified according to Left and British outlook. RomilaThaper, whose principal area of study is ancient India, a field in which she is pre-eminent, and remained professor of Ancient India at Jawahar Lal Nehru University is paradoxically quite ignorant about Sanskrit Literature. Irfan Habib, an expert in the Medieval period has caused much damage to society. Mr. R.S Sharma, Marxist historiography of Ancient and Medieval Period, Chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) declares Lord Ram and Ramayana as myth. All above and others like Ram Chander Guha, Vipin Chander, etc either marginalized or put out of context.
Relevant History Experts:
Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, 4th December 1888-11 February 1980 professor of Indian history. He was a former Sheriff of Kolkata. He wrote several books and was an encyclopedia of research work of India and South East Asia. Other are Sir Jadunath Sarkar CIE prominent Indian historians, especially of the Mughal Dynasty. There is a battery of eminent historians of this line like Amlesh Tripathi, Upinder Singh, (daughter of Ex-PM Manmohan Singh), etc. for rectification of distorted narratives and to present it in true shape to inspire and acknowledge the glorious past of India.
(The author is Ex-Head of Intensive Care Unit & Department of anesthesia Government Medical College Jammu.)
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