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India had its personal prime meridian, often called “madhya rekha” which handed by way of the town of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.This was lengthy earlier than the adoption of the Greenwich meridian, in keeping with a brand new Class 6 NCERT social science textbook, which states: “The Greenwich Meridian will not be the primary prime meridian. There have been others previously. The truth is, many centuries earlier than Europe, India had a chief meridian of its personal! It was referred to as madhya rekhā (or ‘center line’) and handed by way of the town of Ujjayinī (in the present day Ujjain), which was a reputed centre for astronomy over many centuries.”
The textbook additionally highlights the contributions of Varāhamihira, a famend astronomer who lived and labored in Ujjain round 1,500 years in the past. Indian astronomers have been well-acquainted with the ideas of latitude and longitude and understood the significance of a zero or prime meridian, utilizing the Ujjain meridian as a reference for calculations in Indian astronomical texts.
Revisions in historic narratives
Information company PTI reported that the brand new textbook introduces important adjustments in historic narratives, with a number of references to the “Sarasvati” river within the context of early Indian civilization. The Harappan civilization is now known as the “Indus-Sarasvati” or “Sindhu-Sarasvati” civilization, with an elevated give attention to the river’s significance.
The Sarasvati basin is claimed to have included main cities like Rakhigarhi and Ganweriwala, in addition to smaller cities. The Sarasvati river, at the moment often called the “Ghaggar” in India and “Hakra” in Pakistan, is described as a seasonal river within the new textbook.
Modifications in social and cultural references
The brand new textbook, titled “Exploring Society: India and Past,” has omitted references to the caste system and the exclusion of ladies and Shudras from learning the Vedas. As an alternative, it merely mentions varied professions present in Vedic texts, reminiscent of agriculturist, weaver, potter, builder, carpenter, healer, dancer, barber, and priest. It is a departure from the earlier textbook, which detailed how monks divided individuals into 4 varnas and restricted Shudras and ladies from performing rituals or learning the Vedas.
The brand new Class 6 social science textbook consolidates what have been beforehand three separate books on historical past, geography, and civics.
NCERT director Dinesh Saklani defined that within the introductory chapter, the purpose was to give attention to “huge concepts” and reduce textual content, integrating inputs from varied disciplines reminiscent of historical past, geography, political science, and economics. Consequently, important parts of historical Indian historical past have been omitted, together with detailed chapters on the kingdoms of Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya, and the Gupta, Pallava, and Chalukya dynasties. King Ashoka is just talked about as soon as in a timeline.
A beforehand detailed chapter on “Villages, Cities, and Commerce” has been shortened, eradicating references to historic artifacts and websites just like the iron pillar at Qutub Minar, Sanchi Stupa, Mahabalipuram temples, and Ajanta cave work.
