NCERT Class 9 social science book lists kings using swords given by goddesses

“Annamaraja, ruler of Bastar, is believed to have received his sword from Manikyadevi (Danteshvari), while Kumara Kampana (Vijayanagara) was believed to have used a goddess-given sword against the Sultanate forces at Madurai. Similarly, Shivaji is also traditionally believed to have obtained a sword from goddess Tulja Bhavani,” it adds.

The history chapter of the social science book documents the successive invasions of the Indian subcontinent since the 7th Century. It elaborates on religious traditions in warfare and how the Rajputs, Ahom Kingdom, Vijayanagara Empire, Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, and others put up a strong resistance against the Mughals, Turks, and European forces at different points in time.

The chapter also says that from the 7th Century, the Indian subcontinent witnessed successive invasions driven by territorial expansion and religious motives.

The Bhakti tradition chapter also documents how India underwent profound transformation in its religious and spiritual landscape between the 11th and 17th centuries.

“Bhakti—a tradition of personal devotion to the divine—was expressed through devotional hymns in local languages… the use of local languages strengthened shared identities and fostered a sense of solidarity…,” it reads.

According to NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani, “Social Science learning at this (secondary) stage is expected to cultivate analytical and discursive abilities, encourage critical inquiry, promote intercultural understanding, and enable learners to participate with confidence and responsibility in civic and social life.”

“It is in this spirit that Understanding Society: India and Beyond, the Grade 9 Social Science textbook for the Secondary Stage, has been conceptualised and developed,” he said in the foreword.