2. We are in impressionable age when we
are school children. Certain facts we
read and learn from history leave deep
impressions on our minds. These
impressions can grow into prejudices,
bitterness, bigotry, hatred, rivalry,
fanaticism, unrest and riots and severe
stress in personal and social life. In
addition to the “inappropriate
historical facts”; the ambiguity in the
teaching of values taught in the history
can also bring about severe stress in
individual and global life.
Recently I watched on TV that the
history books are studded with
photographs and details of invader
emperors, while the freedom fighters
and saints are totally neglected.
3. I was reminded of the fact we, as
children harbored in minds a divisive
(and in my view hoax) theory of
“Aryan invasion” that surreptiously
suggests division of Bharat into
“indigenous dravids” and “alien
invader Aryans! We also read
condemnation of certain rituals and
traditions belonging to only Hindu
religion suggesting indirectly (by
omission of comments on traditions in
the other religions) that all other
religions except Hindu; are good and
Hindu religion is backward and
retrogressive!
We also carried conflicts due to praise
we read about opposing values!
Thus, we never could understand how
invaders could be adored, in the same
4. vein as the freedom fighters! We also
could never reason out how the violent
activities of the armed revolutionaries
were admired in the same vein as the
nonviolent activities!
In view of the severe conflict and
stress that can result in personal life
and social life, it is imperative to
understand and explain the gist of
history and the purpose of teaching
history! It is also necessary to present
accurate facts in a manner and details;
appropriate to the development of the
students in schools and children at
homes.
The history curriculum designers
should avert the stress in individual
and social life of the growing
