Maharashtra’s new textbooks: Where Vedas enter geography, Vedic cosmology meets Big Bang

Maharashtra's new Class 6 history, geography, and science textbooks introduce ancient Indian science, scripture, and scholars into these subjects, often placing them alongside or ahead of modern concepts. Contemporary Indian achievements and role models have also been added. In history, content on caste, priestly privilege and foreign invasion has been removed.

The textbooks draw from ancient Indian sources, such as the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, and Suryasiddhant, describing the Earth as "Saptadweep" with seven islands mapped to regions from Europe to Japan. The Vedic account of the universe creation is placed alongside the Big Bang theory. Ujjain is presented as the ancient central point of the Earth, with ancient units of time like ghatika and muhurt introduced.

Aryabhata is highlighted as the first to explain the Earth's revolution around the Sun, with his calculations matching those of modern instruments. Sage Charak is introduced as the founder of Ayurveda, while his classification of animals appears in a chapter on diversity in living organisms. The Rigveda is cited for guidance on adapting food and routines to seasons.

Sushruta, known as the "Father of Surgery," is featured in detail, with his techniques later adopted by Europeans in the 18th century. Chanakya's Arthashastra and his role in Chandragupta Maurya's rise are now extensively covered, detailing his contributions to governance, tax system, defence, intelligence, politics, and his identification of Chandragupta as a child.

Cuts include the removal of content on caste, the priestly monopoly over knowledge, the link between caste discrimination and the rise of Jainism and Buddhism, and the historical narrative of the Vedic period. Instead, the new textbook presents Vedic society structured into four varnas, Chanakya's role in the rise of Chandragupta Maurya, and emphasizes Vedic values, moral duties, and nature worship.