‘Ghaznavid invasions’ get bigger section in new class 7 NCERT textbook, Pg5

Key Highlights:

• New NCERT Class 7 social science textbook includes an expanded section on Mahmud of Ghazni's invasions, focusing on destruction, plunder, and religious motives.
• The textbook highlights Ghazni's 17 campaigns in India, including the plundering of temples in Mathura, Kannauj, and Somnath.
• The section also details the slaughter and enslavement of Indian civilians during Ghazni's campaigns.
• The chapter also covers Muhammad Ghuri's territorial conquests and his general Qutb-ud-din Aibak's campaigns in eastern India.
• Bakhtiyar Khilji's destruction of Buddhist monasteries and universities like Nalanda and Vikramashila is also featured in the new textbook.

Detailed Insights:

• The textbook includes a "word of caution" similar to the Class 8 textbook, advising students to analyze darker periods of history to understand their causes and prevent recurrence.
• The new edition provides more details about Mahmud of Ghazni's motives, describing him as eager to spread his version of Islam and targeting wealthy temples for their resources.
• The textbook mentions the rebuilding of the Somnath temple in 1950, inaugurated by President Rajendra Prasad, and funded entirely by public donations.
• The chapter also references scholar Al-Biruni's account of the destruction of the Shivalinga at the Somnath temple by Mahmud.
• The textbook emphasizes that despite the Turkic invasions, large parts of north and all of south India remained outside their control.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ghaznavid Invasions: Military campaigns led by Mahmud of Ghazni into the Indian subcontinent during the 11th century.
• Plunder: The act of looting or pillaging, often associated with military conquest and the seizure of valuable goods.
• Religious Motive: Actions driven by religious beliefs or the desire to spread or enforce a particular religious ideology.