NCERT Textbooks Detail Mahmud's Brutal Invasions

NCERT's latest Class 7 social science textbook significantly expands its coverage of the Ghaznavid invasions, detailing Mahmud of Ghazni's extensive campaigns. The updated version vividly illustrates his acts of destruction and plunder, including detailed accounts of his incursions into Mathura, Kannauj, and the Somnath temple in Gujarat. This revision offers a much broader and starker perspective than previous editions.

The textbook incorporates a cautionary note on history's focus on conflict, emphasizing the importance of understanding past events. It unflinchingly describes the brutal consequences of Mahmud's rule, noting the slaughter of thousands of civilians and the enslavement of children. Contemporary accounts and scholarly references are used to depict Mahmud as a ruthless general who targeted non-Muslims and rival Islamic sects.

Further context is provided on Muhammad Ghuri and Bakhtiyar Khilji's campaigns, including the destruction of Nalanda and Vikramashila, and the eventual decline of Buddhism in India. The textbook situates these events within a broader timeline of Indian history, from earlier empires to foreign invasions like Muhammad bin Qasim's in Sindh.