Cover-ups of the historic kind

Lady Flora and Sir Pheroze look at the original image of the Dancing Girl after NCERT’s decision to shade over the image in the Std IX Arts Education textbook. It was reverted later. Illustration/Uday Mohite

Lady Flora held a large textbook in her hand, as she made her way to meet her friend, Sir Pheroze. The subject [of the textbook] was history. She arrived at the dot of midnight, and hoped her friend would also show up on time. There was a lot to be discussed, as she swiftly made her way to their usual bench at Horniman Circle Garden. Being nighttime, the calm of the otherwise buzzing business district was the perfect setting. In fact, the topic of such interest to her that a preparatory phone call had was done prior to their Sunday night meet-up.

"You know, Pheroze, of all the surprises that our history textbooks have had to endure in recent decades, this one took the cake. What were they thinking when they decided to cover-up the stylish dancing girl from Mohenjo-daro? How did the bare torso suddenly become a concern, when it seemed fine to use the original image in textbooks for decades before this, as part of the chapter on the Indus Valley Civilisation? It's baffling, to put it mildly," turning the pages of the old textbook to reach the particular chapter in question.

Sir PM was listening intently. He had a largish book that looked like a time-ravaged diary with wafer-thin pages. After glancing at the Dancing Girl's image in the textbook, he quickly turned to a bookmarked section in this diary. "Don't ask me how I managed to procure it, but these are some of the notes belonging to the legendary archaeologist RD Banerjee from the time when CSMVS was known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. I had the honour of meeting Mr Banerjee briefly, before he became Superintendent of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He went on to discover the site of Mohenjo-daro in 1922-23. He was a learned man, dedicated to showcasing the heritage and history of the Indian Subcontinent. He also served as the first Honorary Indian Curator of the museum (CSMVS).
It's because of him that some of the earliest objects from the site became part of their collection. His obsession and rigour with the site was quite something; in fact, he had visited it earlier as well. Mr Banerjee had vividly mentioned how everyday objects used by members of Harappan society - from pottery to semi-precious bead jewellery, metal work and sculptures were abundant and carefully preserved for posterity. It explains the bejewelled appearance of the Dancing Girl in question. He clearly states how these traditions laid the foundation of India's diverse craft heritage."

Lady Flora was pretty hooked on the diary and its contents. Then, her face lit up, as if a ‘Eureka moment' had occurred. "Would you believe it but collections are now actually on display rather prominently at the same museum? What an amazing circle of discovery and rediscovery! But first things first - Why did the education platform even think of this change to the visual in the first place for the Std IX students? Was the nudity suddenly an uncomfortable image for 14-year-olds? It's odd given that this same image has been in textbooks for decades. Going by everything that I hear from my vantage spot atop the pedestal, this age group - curious-minded and smart-headed as they are, hardly need any kind of censoring," she smiled, cheekily. Sir PM looked aghast, "Are you telling me that these young students are familiar with such images and this was unnecessary?" he prodded, clearly out of touch with reality and today's younger population.

"Of course! In fact, today's youth have unbelievable access to information compared to generations before them, so this censorship is absurd. Such drastic measures will have the contrary reaction, leading to more curiosity over the subject. In today's day and age, with these expensive, know-it-all phones, they are miles ahead," she informed her friend. "The bigger concern is the interference with historic objects, as you've tried to establish using the example of Mr Banerjee's exhaustive research. It's part of our heritage, and ought to be studied in its original shape and form by scholars, and marvelled at by audiences across the globe," Sir PM explained. "I am glad that the decision was revoked. But I hope that history is allowed to ‘be' in its factually and visually correct avatar; we don't need these cover-ups, for one. India's rich heritage is the pathway to our origins, with layers of history woven into every detail," Lady Flora signed off, not before reminding her friend to revisit the museum nearby, and perhaps pick a replica of the Dancing Girl from its curio shop.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
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