By now everyone knows about the deletion and cutting short of syllabus as part of NCERT's textbooks 'rationalistion' exercise.
In 2022, NCERT released a list of content that will be dropped from textbooks of various subjects. Among other things on the list of contents, history of Islamic rulers including Mamluks, Khaljis, Delhi Sultanate cut short by various pages and portions of Mughal history also dropped from textbooks.
Cut to 2023. Uttar Pradesh schools adopt the revised NCERT books. Twitter is hot with takes of some alleging NCERT's agenda of downscaling Muslim/Mughal history from most of the textbooks, and other appreciating the deletion of 'ruthless', Muslim rulers.
Well, we can't pretend to ignore that the idea behind this continuous process of deletion is not to teach kids about the Islamic rule, or other things related to Muslim identity in the Indian History (Verses of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz are also dropped from Class 10th textbook).
Especially when one looks at Twitter and comes across the 'anti-Mughal' sentiment and their constant comparison to other Indian rulers.
Clearly this move serves as fuel to the growing islamophobia in the country with the already set narrative which projects Islamic rulers, especially Mughals as invaders, plunderers, anti-Hindu and what not.
But erasing chapters from books doesn't really erase the history. The influence of Mughals is indelible. Removal from NCERT textbooks will not limit students from knowing about the Mughal history, the history of India when it was ruled by Muslim rulers.
From the food we eat, the clothes we wear to the magnificent monuments, Mughals left behind a heritage which is impossible to erase!
You take a stroll in Old Delhi, and you cannot miss the magnificent Jama Masjid which was built by Shah Jahan, fifth Mughal Emperor.
Red fort from which Prime Ministers have been giving their Independence speeches, well again, was built by Shah Jahan.
You visit South Delhi, and you cannot-not see the beautiful Sabz Burj situated in the heart of Nizamuddin, just next to Humayun's Tomb (built by The Great Akbar).
And... and The Taj Mahal!!
When your kid will ask about the history of this wonder of the world, you'll have to name the Mughal ruler who got it made, right?
Sure, you expected the monuments. But there are other things too. Imagine you go to a restaurant, and you see, wait, what? Mughlai cuisine! Even your humble samosa, jalebi, pulao, seekh kebab, nihari were all introduced by Mughals!
The list goes on...
Chikankari!! Indian Chikan work industry makes crores of profit every year. And who gave us Chikankari? Noor Jahan, Mughal empress and wife of Jahangir introduced Chikankari to India.
Oh, and the Sherwani without which most Indian weddings are incomplete. Even your daily wear salwar kurta - you guessed it right - ye bhi Mughals ki hi den hai.
Anyway, whatever kids won't learn from textbooks, they'll eventually learn from Instagram.
So many pages on Instagram are doing brilliant work of digitally documenting history and organizing heritage walks. And their work is not biased and definitely not just limited to Mughal history.
It is a fact that Mughals came to India as conquerors, but they stayed in India as Hindustanis. They made India rich.
But again, will you believe baseless narratives promoting baseless hate or the facts?
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