Rajasthan’s Curriculum Overhaul: Akbar No Longer Taught as ‘Great’ in Schools
In a significant move, Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar announced that Mughal emperor Akbar would no longer be portrayed as a ‘great’ personality in the school curriculum of the state. The decision goes against Akbar’s tradition in Indian history and is in tune with a larger movement aimed at reviewing historical narratives. The announcement was made during the 28th state-level event “Bhama Shah Samman Samaroh” at Sukhadia University’s Vivekananda Auditorium in Udaipur.
Criticism of Akbar’s Legacy
Akbar’s historical portrayal was criticized by Madan Dilawar. According to him, Akbar plundered the country for years and hence future generations should not be taught to consider Akbar as a ‘great personality.’ There is a keen sense of resentment among certain political and cultural groupings in India over the prevailing hedonism regarding the Mughal ruler, especially those who were in conflict with local rulers such as Maharana Pratap of Mewar.
“The portrayal of Akbar as a great figure in our history is misleading. He plundered the country for years, and it is not right to teach our children that he was great,” Dilawar said. His remarks underline the important shift with regard to the way historical figures are viewed and interpreted within the educational framework of Rajasthan.
Focus on Maharana Pratap’s Legacy
He lamented that a great Rajput ruler like Maharana Pratap-who was known and famous for his resistance against the expanding Mughal Empire-was not accorded a due place in Indian history. Maharana Pratap is celebrated for bravery, devotion to the cause of honor and dignity of Mewar, and stands in striking contrast to the Mughal rulers of his time.
“The sacrifices of Maharana Pratap, who fought relentlessly for the honor and dignity of Mewar, have remained unrecognized. It is time to offset this imbalance and give due credit to our true heroes,” added Dilawar. This reorientation of historical focus aims at stirring feelings of pride and respect among locals for their heroes who resisted foreign domination.
Revisiting Historical Narratives
The move to remove references to Akbar as a great personality is part of the larger effort to rewrite history in Rajasthan’s school textbooks. Madan Dilawar has been vocal in his call to cleanse educational materials of what he believes is misleading information. In January, he called Akbar “a rapist” and asked for the scrapping of references to him as a great personality.
“We will not need to make drastic changes in the curriculum, but correction needs to be done on the statements which make for unethical claims or disrespect our great men. When it is about our ancestors like Veer Savarkar and Shivaji, a lot of misleading information gets included. Those statements would be corrected,” Dilawar said at a press conference earlier this year.
Dilawar’s position characterizes the bigger political and cultural impetus within India to renovate its history. Most of them relate to the bravery and sacrifices of native leaders and freedom fighters. This argues that the country has overly glorified its colonial and Mughal rulers at the expense of its native heroes.
Elaborating on Rajasthan’s Tradition of Bhama Shahs
During the function, Madan Dilawar also commended the Bhama Shahs of Rajasthan for their tradition in supporting the State’s heritage of sacrifice, austerity, valor, and heroism. Bhama Shah was an associate in the court of Maharana Pratap, in whose name he gave away his entire riches and fortune to keep the king’s struggle against the Mughals going on when the latter was forced to live in forests.
“Rajasthan is a land of great men and heroic deeds. The Bhama Shahs of our state have always supported the cause of education and valour. They have set an example of selflessness and dedication that should inspire our future generations,” Dilawar said.
He mentioned that in 1997, former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat initiated the tradition of seeking assistance from Bhama Shahs to contribute towards educational causes. The tradition has since been greatly contributing to the promotion of education and preserving the heroic tradition of Rajasthan.
Changes in Focus of Education
The decision is part of a wider reshaping exercise in textbooks to realign their academic content with the regional and cultural values of Akbar and other historical figures. At the same time, the Rajasthan education policy promotes figures like Maharana Pratap and Bhama Shah in an attempt to instill pride in their heritage to take inspiration from the courage and sacrifices of their ancestors.
This replacement of emphasis with traditionally glorified figures, such as Akbar, with local heroes reflects a larger change in strategy on the part of the state with respect to education. It is about promoting a narrative that celebrates regional identity and contributions toward history more in keeping with the cultural and social values of the community.
Conclusion
The decision by Rajasthan to drop the word ‘great’ before Akbar in school textbooks is one important step towards changing the interpretation of history. The local heroes, such as Maharana Pratap, now form part of the curriculum, where obeisances are paid to the Bhama Shahs as one way of persuading students to relate themselves with state culture. As Rajasthan proceeds with these changes, the repercussions in educational and cultural discourse will be followed, since those form the guiding light for how successive generations look at and respect their history.
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