Call to restructure history books

October 14, 2010 01:03 am | Updated 01:03 am IST - MADURAI:

A. Ramasamy

A. Ramasamy

The Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE) is approaching the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) to ‘restructure' books on Indian history as per the correct chronology to give due importance to ancient Tamil civilisation.

“As per the records and historians' viewpoint, the chapter on Tamil civilisation should come immediately after the Indus Valley Civilisation in the books on Indian history. We are going to take up the issue to set right the chronology disorder,” A. Ramasamy, Vice-Chairman, TANSCHE, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

Since the chapter on Tamil civilisation now comes after the Gupta period, which is around 7th century A.D., historians from Tamil Nadu have been appealing to the TANSCHE to initiate steps for giving the correct chronology in history books, he said. “The Oxford University Press has published a book written by historian Dr. Vincent Smith nearly 100 years ago. He clearly felt that the books on Indian civilisation should start from the Cauvery basin,” Dr. Ramasamy said.

Discussions on this issue are being initiated at the State level. Subsequently, a representation will be made to the ICHR and national historians. “We received a memorandum from historians in Tamil Nadu to intervene and take steps for giving the correct chronology. A meeting of senior history faculty in all universities in the State will be convened shortly,” Dr. Ramasamy said.

At present, books on the history of India are carrying a chronology wherein Tamil civilisation is finding a place along with the period of Buddhism and Jainism. The second chapter on Vedic civilisation should be replaced by Tamil civilisation as per the correct chronology. “Vedic civilisation should in fact find a place in the third chapter,” Dr. Ramasamy said.

According to him, the TANSCHE is planning to have national-level discussions too in this regard and then a formal appeal will be made to “restructure” the Indian history.

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