NCERT Class 9 Textbook Says Kings Received ‘Swords From Goddesses’ To Fight Invaders
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a new Class 9 Social Science textbook that describes how several Indian rulers are believed to have received swords from Hindu goddesses before fighting invading forces.
The textbook, “Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Part 2”, was released on Tuesday, around six months after the start of the new academic session. Its first volume was released in June.
Chapter Focuses On Resistance And Warfare
The chapter titled “Resistance and Resilience” examines successive invasions of the Indian subcontinent from the seventh century onwards, while also discussing the role of religious traditions and beliefs in warfare.
It describes the worship of goddesses including Kali, Durga and Bhavani as a longstanding tradition and says rulers invoked different forms of Shakti as protectors during conflicts.
The chapter discusses invasions motivated by territorial expansion and religious considerations and documents resistance by Indian rulers and communities against Arab, Turkish, Mughal and European forces.
“From the mid-7th century, Arab forces launched invasions by sea and land,” the chapter says, adding that the early invaders were confronted by rulers in regions including the Deccan, Malwa, Kashmir and Rajasthan.
Accounts Of Goddess-Given Swords
The textbook cites several traditional accounts involving rulers and divine weapons.
It states that Annamaraja, ruler of the Bastar Kingdom, is believed to have received his sword from Manikyadevi.
It also says Kumara Kampana was believed to have used a sword given by a goddess against Sultanate forces at Madurai.
The book further refers to the traditional belief that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj received a sword from the goddess Tulja Bhavani while resisting the Mughals.
The wording in the textbook uses terms such as “believed to have” when referring to these accounts.
NCERT Chief On Aim Of New Textbook
NCERT Director Dinesh Saklani said the revised Social Science curriculum is intended to develop students' ability to analyse and discuss issues while encouraging critical inquiry and intercultural understanding.
He said the subject at the secondary-school level should also enable students to participate with confidence and responsibility in civic and social life.
It was in this context, he said, that “Understanding Society: India and Beyond”, the Class 9 Social Science textbook for the secondary stage, was conceptualised and developed.
