A Textbook Debate Over Hinduism

Bajpai approved many of the changes requested. But in November, shortly before the proposals were headed for final approval, Witzel urged the board to reject them in what he called an "emergency letter." Witzel wrote that the groups pressing for change were Hindu nationalists who had rammed through similar textbook changes in India that the U.S. State Department had characterized as "extremist."

The proposed changes are "unscholarly, are politically and religiously motivated ... and will lead without fail to an international educational scandal," Witzel wrote in a letter endorsed by four dozen international scholars.

The letter ignited a furor -- which state education officials further fanned by asking Witzel and two others to weigh in on the proposed changes already reviewed by Bajpai. The Witzel panel challenged several of Bajpai's recommendations, setting up a showdown between scholars last month.

"It was a gladiator combat," Bajpai said. "I've never had such an acrimonious meeting in my 48 years of professional life."

Today, the board's five-member history-social science committee will review the competing claims and decide which to recommend to the full board for final action at its March 8 meeting.

The most heated debate centers on four areas. Aside from the women's issue, the Hindu Educational Foundation and its supporters argue that the rigid caste system that eventually developed in India was, during ancient times, simply a way to efficiently organize society and should be portrayed as such. Under this system, social classes were grouped by occupation.

They say textbooks should not portray Hinduism as a polytheistic faith but as one that sees its gods and goddesses simply as different representations of one supreme reality.

The most contentious issue involves the origins of Hinduism. The common historical view, included in all textbooks, is that Indo-Europeans from Central Asia, called Aryans, migrated to India and laid the faith's foundation. But Bajpai and the Hindu groups hotly dispute the idea of any Aryan migration, citing new DNA evidence for their view that Hinduism developed indigenously. They have asked that textbooks include both views.

Not all Hindus side with them. Vinay Lal, a UCLA professor of Indian history, calls most of their contentions "ridiculous." Like all religions, he said, Hinduism has its share of uncomfortable truths, and he would prefer that his two children learn to deal with them.

"They will be better able to understand that the essential story of humanity is the story of freedom from oppression," Lal said. "The onus is on us to do justice to our history."