From ‘Towers Of Skulls’ To Jiziya: NCERT Class 8 Book Details Brutality, Religious Intolerance In Delhi Sultanate-Mughal Era

The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has revised the Class 8 social science textbook to highlight many instances of "religious intolerance" during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods.

NCERT has released Part 1 of the book, Exploring Society: Indian and Beyond, for use this academic session.

This new Class 8 book introduces students to the Sultanate and Mughal periods.

It describes Babur as a “brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities”, Akbar’s reign as a “blend of brutality and tolerance”, and Aurangzeb as a ruler “who destroyed temples and gurdwaras,” The Indian Express reported.

NCERT explained it added a disclaimer in a “Note on Some Darker Periods in History” stating that “no one should be held responsible today for events of the past”.

The chapter ‘Reshaping India’s Political Map’ covers Indian history from the 13th to 17th centuries, discussing the rise and fall of the Delhi Sultanate, resistance to it, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Mughals, and the rise of the Sikhs.

It portrays the Sultanate period as marked by political instability, military campaigns, plundered cities and villages, and destroyed temples and learning centres.

NCERT stated: “The events…(and many more) did happen and left their mark on Indian history; the rationale for including them has been explained in the ‘Note on Some Darker Periods in History’. The historical account given, while it does not sanitise history, is balanced and entirely evidence-based.”

Here are the key points from the book:

1. Babur Described as Ruthless Conqueror

   
   The new Class 8 NCERT Social Science textbook states that Babur's autobiography points to him as being cultured and intellectually curious.

   However, it adds that he was "also a brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities, enslaving women and children, and taking pride in erecting ‘towers of skulls’ made from the slaughtered people of plundered cities.”

   This is in stark contrast to the earlier textbook, which portrayed Babur as having been forced to leave his ancestral throne, seizing Kabul, and then Delhi and Agra.

2. Akbar’s Reign Called a Mix of Brutality and Tolerance

   
   The book characterises Akbar’s rule as “a blend of brutality and tolerance”.

   Referring to the siege of Chittorgarh, it states that Akbar “ordered the massacre of some 30,000 civilians”.

   It quotes a contemporary message from the Mughal emperor: “We have succeeded in occupying a number of forts and towns belonging to the infidels and have established Islam there. With the help of our bloodthirsty sword, we have erased the signs of infidelity from their minds and have destroyed temples in those places and also all over Hindustan.”

   The book also notes that despite Akbar’s later tolerance for different faiths, “non-Muslims were kept in a minority in the higher echelons of the administration”.

3. Aurangzeb’s Religious Motives Highlighted

   
   While noting that some scholars believe Aurangzeb’s decisions were politically driven, the book asserts that his religious motives are evident in his own farmans.

   It mentions that Aurangzeb ordered governors of provinces to demolish schools and temples, and destroyed temples at Banaras, Mathura, Somnath, and Jain temples and Sikh gurdwaras.

4. Attacks on Temples During Sultanate Period Documented

   
   The chapter covering the Delhi Sultanate speaks of repeated destruction of temples and sacred sites.

   It notes that these actions were driven not only by the aim of plunder but also by "iconoclasm".

   The book cites the example of General Malik Kafur’s attacks on prominent Hindu centres such as Srirangam, Madurai, Chidambaram, and possibly Rameswaram.

5. ‘Jiziya’ Described as a Tool of Humiliation and Coercion

   
   The book provides a pointed interpretation of the jiziya tax, stating it was a source of public humiliation and formed a financial and social incentive for subjects to convert to Islam.

   This marks a shift from the older textbook, which described jiziya merely as a tax initially levied along with land revenue.

6. Emphasis on ‘Darker Periods’ in History

   
   The book begins with a ‘Note on Some Darker Periods in History’, which explains the rationale for including these accounts of violence and intolerance.

   It urges readers to study these developments dispassionately and notes: “No one should be held responsible today for events of the past.”

7. Mughal-Sultanate History Now Taught in Class 8

   
   Unlike the previous curriculum which introduced this period in Class 7, the new syllabus has shifted the coverage of the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, and Marathas to Class 8 under a chapter titled ‘Reshaping India’s Political Map’.

8. Maratha Resistance and Shivaji’s Legacy Highlighted

   
   In the following chapter, Shivaji is described as a “master strategist and a true visionary”.

   The book notes that he was a devout Hindu who respected other religions and rebuilt desecrated temples.

   The Marathas are acknowledged for their contribution to India’s cultural development.

   The old book had said Shivaji laid the foundations of a strong Maratha state with an efficient administrative system.

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