R. Madhavan slams history books for overlooking Southern Dynasties, questions "why just one chapter on Southern Kingdoms?"

R. Madhavan slams history books for overlooking Southern Dynasties, questions "why just one chapter on Southern Kingdoms?"

Actor R. Madhavan has entered the ongoing debate surrounding the National Council of Educational Research and Training's (NCERT) recent revisions to history textbooks, which have reportedly reduced or removed content related to the Mughal Empire and Delhi Sultanate.

Expressing concern over the historical representation in school curricula, Madhavan questioned the disproportionate emphasis on certain periods over others.

In an interview with News18, Madhavan remarked, “I might get into trouble for saying this, but I’ll still say it. When I studied history in school, there were eight chapters on the Mughals, two on the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro civilizations, four on British rule and the freedom struggle, and just one chapter on the southern kingdoms — the Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and Cheras. The British and the Mughals ruled us for close to 800 years, but the Chola Empire is 2,400 years old. They were pioneers of sea travel and naval power. They had spice routes that extended to Rome. Where’s that part of our history? Where’s the mention of us building temples all the way to Angkor Wat with our mighty naval forces? Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism spread to China. People in Korea speak half Tamil because that’s how far our language reached. And we encapsulated all of this in just one chapter.”

Madhavan further questioned the narratives presented in educational materials, asking, “Whose narrative is this? Who decided the syllabus? Tamil is the oldest language in the world, but nobody knows about it. The scientific knowledge hidden in our culture is being mocked right now.”

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These comments come amid reports that NCERT has made significant changes to its Class 7 history textbooks, including the removal of chapters on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate. The revised content reportedly emphasizes dynasties that reflect 'Indian ethos' and includes references to events like the Maha Kumbh and government initiatives such as 'Make in India' and 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' .

NCERT officials have stated that these changes are in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, aiming to incorporate Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local contexts into school education .

Madhavan's latest film, "Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh," aligns with his views on historical representation. The film, a historical