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India had its own prime meridian, known as “madhya rekha” which passed through the city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.This was long before the adoption of the Greenwich meridian, according to a new Class 6 NCERT social science textbook, which states: “The Greenwich Meridian is not the first prime meridian. There were others in the past. In fact, many centuries before Europe, India had a prime meridian of its own! It was called madhya rekhā (or ‘middle line’) and passed through the city of Ujjayinī (today Ujjain), which was a reputed centre for astronomy over many centuries.”
The textbook also highlights the contributions of Varāhamihira, a renowned astronomer who lived and worked in Ujjain around 1,500 years ago. Indian astronomers were well-acquainted with the concepts of latitude and longitude and understood the importance of a zero or prime meridian, using the Ujjain meridian as a reference for calculations in Indian astronomical texts.
Revisions in historical narratives
News agency PTI reported that the new textbook introduces significant changes in historical narratives, with multiple references to the “Sarasvati” river in the context of early Indian civilization. The Harappan civilization is now referred to as the “Indus-Sarasvati” or “Sindhu-Sarasvati” civilization, with an increased focus on the river’s importance.
The Sarasvati basin is said to have included major cities like Rakhigarhi and Ganweriwala, as well as smaller towns. The Sarasvati river, currently known as the “Ghaggar” in India and “Hakra” in Pakistan, is described as a seasonal river in the new textbook.
Changes in social and cultural references
The new textbook, titled “Exploring Society: India and Beyond,” has omitted references to the caste system and the exclusion of women and Shudras from studying the Vedas. Instead, it simply mentions various professions found in Vedic texts, such as agriculturist, weaver, potter, builder, carpenter, healer, dancer, barber, and priest. This is a departure from the previous textbook, which detailed how priests divided people into four varnas and restricted Shudras and women from performing rituals or studying the Vedas.
The new Class 6 social science textbook consolidates what were previously three separate books on history, geography, and civics.
NCERT director Dinesh Saklani explained that in the introductory chapter, the aim was to focus on “big ideas” and minimize text, integrating inputs from various disciplines such as history, geography, political science, and economics. As a result, significant portions of ancient Indian history have been omitted, including detailed chapters on the kingdoms of Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya, and the Gupta, Pallava, and Chalukya dynasties. King Ashoka is only mentioned once in a timeline.
A previously detailed chapter on “Villages, Towns, and Trade” has been shortened, removing references to historical artifacts and sites like the iron pillar at Qutub Minar, Sanchi Stupa, Mahabalipuram temples, and Ajanta cave paintings.
