Chapter on Yogi’s guru in UP govt school syllabus
NEW CURRICULUM More than 8 lakh textbooks set to be distributed in Gorakhpur schools
GORAKHPUR : From the academic session starting July, children in government run schools will read chapters on some great personalities including Nath sect deity Baba Gorakhnath, Nath sect saint Baba Gambhirnath, freedom fighters Bandhu Singh and Rani Avanti Bai, and the 12th century warrior brothers Alha-udal among others who, till now, were missing from the syllabus .
The move comes after Yogi Adityanath, who served five times as the Gorakhpur MP before becoming the UP chief minister, gave directions to the Basic Shiksha Department to includes chapters on great personalities who had been “neglected” under the previous regimes in the state.
Yogi is the chief priest of the Gorakhnath temple, a prominent centre of faith and devotion in eastern UP, where Baba Gorakhnath is worshipped by lakhs of devotees.
Basic Shiksha Adhikari Bhupendra Narayan Singh said, “This time, some changes have been introduced in textbooks, which will soon be distributed among school children studying in Classes 1 to 8.
Jeevani (life story) of Guru Gorakhnath has been added as chapter 6 in the Class 6 book titled ‘Mahan Vyaktitva’ ( great personalities ).
Likewise, chapters on Gambhirnath, Bandhu Singh, Avanti Bai, Veer Alha, have been added in other books to be taught in Classes 1 to 8.
The chapter on Bandhu Singh includes how the guerrilla fighter, a staunch devotee of ‘Ma Tarkulha’, fought against the British and was publicly hanged at Gorakhpur’s Alinagar crossing on August 12, 1857.
Similarly, the story of Bundelkhand’s warrior brothers Alha-udal has also been introduced to “inspire” children.
Rani Avanti Bai, queen of Madhya Pradesh who resisted the British after her husband King Vikramaditya’s death, will also feature in the curriculum.
The new textbooks have attractive colours and a QR code, which can be scanned to view digital formats of chapters on mobile phones.
Over eight lakh books have arrived in Gorakhpur for distribution in model primary and upper primary schools, where the session commences from July 2, said the BSA.
“The aim behind including the new chapters is to let the younger generation know about these great personalities who had earlier failed to find a place in books. It will help the students become good citizens by learning about their teachings and inspiring life stories,” said Singh. He said that bags, shoes and uniforms would also be made available at schools by July 15. CHENNAI: In the backdrop of President Ram Nath Kovind rejecting Tamil Nadu government’s request to release the seven prisoners convicted for former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Arputhammal 71, mother of AG Perarivalan, on Friday demanded mercy killing (euthanasia) for her son, as he was slowly dying in the prison.
“I don’t want my son to live in agony anymore and I am going to write to the state and Centre seeking mercy killing for my son,” Arputhammal told reporters.
Tamil Nadu law minister CV Shanmugham said that the state would explore all legal options to ensure the release of all convicts jailed for assassinating Rajiv Gandhi. “Our leader J Jayalalithaa wanted to release the convicts on humanitarian grounds and this government will work on that,” he said.
The state has twice approached the Union home ministry regarding this and the matter is now pending before the Supreme Court, he said.