NCERT Class 9 textbook details Mughal persecution of Sikh Gurus

A new NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook, titled ‘Understanding Society: India and Beyond Part 2’, includes detailed accounts of the Mughal state’s treatment of Sikh Gurus. The textbook describes the persecution as ‘exceptionally brutal’ and attributes it to ‘rigid religious and discriminatory practices.’

The history chapter, ‘Resistance and Resilience (1000–1700 CE)’, discusses the martyrdom of several Sikh leaders, including Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh. It notes that the execution of Guru Arjan Dev by Emperor Jahangir served as a ‘significant turning point’ in Sikh history. The text also highlights the 1675 execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur under Aurangzeb as a major turning point in Indian history.

According to the curriculum, these acts of persecution and the resulting sacrifices contributed to the development of Sikhism’s focus on collective organization, political resistance, and the concept of ‘miri piri,’ which combines spiritual and worldly authority.