History for Love and Compassion

When I was a student in school , I used to wonder, why do we really read History? What is the use of all these details with Babur winning a battle against Rana Sanga in Panipat grounds with thousand of horses or the no. of elephants and all?

Shouldn't it be the part of military science rather than history? What is the lesson they are trying to make us learn about wars? Isn't wars bad and there should be no wars? Why the History is full of wars and less of love ?

I used to wish that Darashikoh should have won the battle against Aurangzeb and he should have been the King. He was a better man after-all.

Later on when I started reading for the coveted Civil Services Exam, then too the history was more focused on the war aspect. (Not until now that we are going towards the path of reading History of Art and Culture more)

I think that is the way History text book should be. The orientation of the History books in the school sylabus should be focussed on those aspects of History which a kid really want to know and asks question about.

A kid studying in the village wants to know the history of his village, his town and his state first. He wants to know why he wears a certain dress and what is its history. He wants to know about the important personalities from his state and the country. He wants to read about the role models that, He can actually become. He wants to know about the history of his religion and culture and also the history of religion of his other friends. He wants to know why the women wear white sarees when their husbands die. He wants to know about the stories of camradrie and love between people at different places. He wants to know the history of the caste system that prevails beside him, and why a surname has been associated to his name. He wants to know the history of his name.

That kid is not interested in the no. of tanks used in a war or the weapons use. Of course, he should be aware about his past but it should not be the way that History can just become a treatise of murders and mass murdereres.

History should have the chapters on compassion and love. That will be the progressive hostory that we can give to our children. The atrocities, the pain the anger should be deleted from the text books of the kids. 

(The researchers are free to research and that can be a part at College Level)

The hiostory books must be rewritten with better persepective and if we are able to teach our children the love and compassion at a younger age, the world can become a peacful place.