Now Reading: New NCERT book says Indian kings got swords from goddesses
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New NCERT book says Indian kings got swords from goddesses
NCERT's new class nine social science textbook, released Tuesday, states that Indian rulers including Shivaji received swords from goddesses to resist invasions. The chapter 'Resistance and Resilience' in 'Understanding Society India and…
NCERT's new class nine social science textbook, released Tuesday, states that Indian rulers including Shivaji received swords from goddesses to resist invasions. The chapter 'Resistance and Resilience' in 'Understanding Society India and Beyond-Part 2' says Annamaraja of Bastar received his sword from Manikyadevi, Kumara Kampana of Vijayanagara used a goddess-given sword against Sultanate forces, and Shivaji is traditionally believed to have obtained a sword from goddess Tulja Bhavani.
The textbook describes successive invasions of the Indian subcontinent since the seventh century driven by territorial expansion and religious motives. NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani said social science learning at secondary stage aims to cultivate analytical abilities and critical inquiry. The first part of the textbook was released in June.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The coverage of the NCERT textbook's reference to divine swords is uniform and neutral, with both outlets reporting the same facts from the textbook and from NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani's statement. The story is a straight relay of a newly released curriculum description, with no critical scrutiny or government-affirming spin on either side. No outlet questions the historiography or contextualises the claim within broader debates on school syllabus revisions. The significance lies in the textbook's framing of resistance to invasions since the seventh century, which may shape how students perceive dynastic legitimacy and religious symbolism in statecraft. The next update to watch is any public reaction from historians or political parties.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): deccanherald.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.
