Mahima Kumari, who’s married to Vishvaraj Singh, met Union Training Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi Wednesday. Mahima Kumari later stated in an X submit that the 2 leaders “had an in depth dialogue on the intense difficulty associated to the wrong depiction of historical past by NCERT”. Pradhan, she added, assured her of severely contemplating the matter, adopted by essential actions. The NCERT has now arrange a panel of consultants to assessment the textbook, significantly the map.

Earlier, Mahima Kumari slammed the NCERT e book for undermining the Rajput dynasty and giving prominence to the Maratha dynasty solely. Condemning the NCERT for distorting details, Kumari stated in an X submit, “First misrepresented as underneath British, now as underneath Marathas—who’s going to coach the educationists in NCERT?! Are they able to presenting the factual historical past of India—severely doubt it.”

Her husband, Vishvaraj Singh, stated the historical past of the Rajput dynasty was far bigger than that of the Maratha dynasty, and the NCERT’s distortion of a map undermined the valour and contributions of the dynasties in Rajasthan.

Talking to ThePrint, Vishvaraj Singh stated, “Rajasthan was by no means part of the Maratha dynasty. They could have tried however had no success. Rajputana’s historical past is far bigger than that of the Marathas. The efforts to painting not solely a bigger Maratha kingdom but additionally the Marathas themselves as having extra valour have been supposed to undermine the contributions of the dynasties to Rajasthan. The NCERT is making one blunder after one other—first, they put the Rajasthan dynasty underneath the British Empire, and now, they’ve included us underneath the Marathas. There’s a want to coach the NCERT educationists themselves.”

The map, which has sparked the controversy, is offered as a reference to a line within the e book—”The Maratha introduced massive components of India underneath their management….” On the map, the saffron color, which represents the Maratha Empire, extends into Rajasthan. Nonetheless, the textual content on the map doesn’t point out Rajasthan or any of its Rajput states. The subsequent paragraph reads, “In northward growth, the Maratha briefly managed the realm of Lahore, Attock, and even Peshawar (in modern-day Pakistan).”

Michel Danino, head of NCERT committee behind drafting of recent social science textbooks, had earlier stated that the map was primarily based on beforehand revealed maps within the public area, and developed with skilled session. 

He had additionally conceded that whereas the Class 7 textbook features a disclaimer concerning the approximate nature of historic borders, this caveat was mistakenly omitted from the Class 8 textbook—one thing he stated ought to have been included to keep away from misinterpretation.

‘The place’s the credibility of NCERT?’

Jaisalmer dynasty descendant Chaitanya Raj Singh condemned the map in an X submit, claiming that the map wrongly confirmed Jaisalmer as a part of the Maratha Empire. He known as the map “traditionally deceptive, factually baseless, and deeply objectionable”.

Jaisalmer, based in 1178 CE by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhati clan, had no documented “Maratha management, taxation, or invasion” historical past, in line with his submit. Chaitanya Raj Singh stated that the Mughals had failed to beat Jaisalmer, which remained an impartial princely state for hundreds of years, earlier than merging into the Indian Republic after Independence, but went ignored.

In regards to the e book, his submit stated, “Such unverified and traditionally unsubstantiated data not solely raises questions concerning the credibility of establishments like NCERT but additionally hurts our wonderful historical past and public sentiments. This difficulty just isn’t merely a textbook error however seems to be an try to tarnish the sacrifices, sovereignty, and valorous saga of our ancestors.”

Earlier than Chaitanya, Mahima, and Vishvaraj, Brigadier Bhupesh Singh of the erstwhile Bundi state additionally objected to the map, writing on X, “Which is that this imaginary empire that dominated Rajputana? We have been by no means underneath the Marathas—don’t damage our satisfaction with fabricated tales. Torturing and looting your individuals just isn’t known as an empire … Please cease this fakery, don’t brainwash our kids.”

Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, the Congress politician and descendant of the erstwhile Alwar dynasty, additionally criticised the NCERT for presenting “traditionally inaccurate and deceptive details” with regional and political agendas.

“Surprisingly, this map exhibits the whole Rajasthan underneath Maratha dominance, which by no means occurred,” Bhanwar Jitendra Singh posted on X. “Maratha historical past has at all times been in textbooks, however this map depicting the whole Rajasthan underneath Maratha management is extra within the re-creation—July 2025 … It’s a historic undeniable fact that within the 18th century, the princely states of Rajasthan—whether or not Marwar, Mewar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar, or others—have been able to sustaining their independence and autonomy.”

Within the 18th century, the 2 states famend for his or her impartial governance, navy power, and cultural id have been the Rajput princely states of Rajasthan and Bharatpur, the place the Jat kings dominated, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh additional stated. He added that these rulers repeatedly struggled to take care of their autonomy towards the Mughals, Marathas, and later the British.

“Historic proof signifies restricted Maratha affect in Rajasthan—raids solely. The query of dominance or growth doesn’t even come up! Information flip myths when historical past is distorted and offered on spiritual or regional grounds. This error by NCERT is an try to undermine the bravery, independence, and cultural contributions of the valiant rulers of Rajasthan,” his submit learn.

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The problem of ‘Maratha dominance’

A key concern amongst political leaders from Rajasthan’s erstwhile royal households is how the NCERT e book portrays the dominance and valour of the Maratha rulers, seemingly surpassing that of North Indian dynasties.

A BJP chief from Rajasthan instructed ThePrint on the situation of anonymity, “Within the e book, 22 pages are on the Maratha kingdom, however solely two to a few pages are on the North Indian dynasties. Neither Rajput structure nor warfare methods and historic battles discovered anywhere. Is that this not a Marathi imposition?”

“Why is one state given a lot significance whereas the North Indian states, which had been on the entrance strains towards invaders, get so little area? Why ought to future generations not be instructed concerning the nice North Indian kings?” the chief requested.

One other Rajasthan BJP chief, who additionally didn’t need to be named, instructed ThePrint, “In Rajasthan, since Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s demise, the present political scene has not been dominated by the Rajput group. The BJP is now trying to consolidate the Maratha constituency greater than the Rajputs.”

The chief added that throughout the Aurangzeb controversy, the Mahayuti alliance, together with the BJP, celebrated Maratha valour and a number of other movies on Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj for a similar motive—the political and regional consolidation of voters in Maharashtra. “The BJP is far stronger in Rajasthan, so Rajput valour just isn’t celebrated, just like the Maratha’s, as of now,” defined the chief.

‘Reshaping India’s political map‘, Chapter 2 within the NCERT e book, makes an attempt to inform Rajput historical past in two pages, with the header, ‘Surge of the Rajputs‘. “Rana Sanga (early sixteenth century) unified a number of Rajput clans, gained many battles towards sultans, in the end assembly defeat towards Babur on the Battle of Khanwa,” the part reads.

Enjoying up the battles between Rajputs and the Mughals, it provides, “Mewar’s ruler Maharana Pratap refused to just accept Mughal suzerainty and have become the face of Rajput resistance … A confrontation passed off on the Haldighati cross within the Aravallis in 1576, and though the Mughal military had the higher hand, Maharana Pratap escaped and pursued, for years, guerrilla warfare towards the Mughals….”

“Whereas some Rajput states ultimately allied with the Mughals—by means of diplomacy and marriage alliances—some, particularly Mewar, didn’t settle for Mughal dominance. Throughout Aurangzeb’s reign, a number of Rajput nobles rebelled, together with Durga Das Rathore of Marwar, who fought to guard the independence of Jodhpur. Mughal authority thus remained restricted in Rajasthan,” it additional reads.

Alternatively, a 22-page-long chapter, ‘The Rise of the Marathas‘, is about solely the Maratha rulers. The controversial map can be on this chapter on web page 71. Sections like ‘Who’re the Marathas?’, ‘Foundations of Maratha energy and the rise of Shivaji‘ with particulars of Shivaji’s surgical strike, ‘The Marathas after Shivaji‘, and ‘Maratha administration‘ present a large overview. The chapter additionally has data on the Maratha navy administration, maritime supremacy, judicial system, in addition to the contributions of Maratha ladies, similar to Tarabai and Ahilyabai Holkar.

Many historians have written concerning the Marathas attacking Rajput states, even taxing just a few of them, however there have been no takeovers. Historian J.N. Sarkar wrote that throughout the battle over the inheritance of Rajasthan’s Bundi dynasty in 1724, Marathas noticed a possibility and entered Rajasthan, quickly accumulating taxes from Kota, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, and Amer. Nonetheless, they by no means fully managed these cities.

Thought of an authoritative e book on the Marathas and their historical past, ‘The Marathas‘, written by Stewart Gordon, reads, “Bajirao, as early as 1728, led a tribute-collecting expedition North, by means of western Malwa and into Rajasthan. After Bajirao’s demise, Maratha navy contingents invaded Rajasthan nearly yearly. The technique of Maratha involvement ran the same course. In the course of the succession battle after the demise of Jai Singh of the Jaipur dynasty, the Peshwas mediated and invaded Jaipur and demanded large tributes.”

“We will hint the rising claims of Shinde, Holkar and Peshwa in Rajasthan. They despatched their military into Rajasthan to gather the arrears of the massive promised tribute. A smaller quantity was collected at Kotah, Bundi, Jaipur, and Udaipur, however nothing like an administration was in place. As quickly as the primary forces of the Maratha Military left, the Maratha representatives have been thrown out, and no tributes have been paid.”

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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Additionally Learn: Muslim invaders, Rajputs, Bhils—Abanindranath Tagore’s tales have been written for Hindu unity

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