NCERT Faces Backlash Over Altered Image of Mohenjo-Daro’s Dancing Girl
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has found itself at the center of a fresh controversy after historians and academic experts accused the organization of tampering with the image of the iconic ‘Dancing Girl’ bronze statue from Mohenjo-Daro. The dispute revolves around how the ancient artifact has been visually represented in the newly released Class 9 art textbook titled ‘Madhurima’, with critics arguing that the modification distorts the authenticity of one of the Indian subcontinent’s most treasured archaeological discoveries.
The Root of the Controversy
The issue came to light when readers and educators noticed that the photograph of the Dancing Girl featured in the first chapter of the Class 9 art textbook, which covers the history of arts, appeared noticeably different from the actual statue. In the revised image, the upper portion of the bronze figurine has been presented in a manner that obscures several anatomical details visible in the original artifact. The use of shading techniques in the image gives the impression that the statue’s bare torso has been covered, a departure from the authentic appearance of the 4,500-year-old piece.
What has intensified the debate is the fact that the same statue has been depicted far more faithfully in NCERT’s own Class 6 social science textbook. This discrepancy has prompted questions about why a single historical artifact would be shown differently across two books published by the same educational body.
Michel Danino’s Reaction
Michel Danino, who previously led the textbook development committee for NCERT’s Class 6 social science books, has been among the most vocal critics of the change. Speaking to reporters, Danino revealed that he had been informed the image was altered because the original was deemed “not age-appropriate” for students. However, he made it clear that his team had never agreed with that reasoning.
Danino explained that during the development of the Class 6 textbooks, his committee had consulted with teachers at that level, who reported that the Dancing Girl statue had never posed any issues in classroom settings. He went on to describe the concern over the statue’s nudity as a relic of Victorian-era thinking, calling it contradictory to the broader goal of decolonizing Indian education. According to Danino, if the objective is to move away from colonial influences in the curriculum, then applying such outdated moral standards to ancient Indian art makes little sense.
Distortion of Historical Accuracy
When Danino first saw the image used in the Class 9 textbook, he admitted that his initial reaction was one of disbelief. He expressed deep concern that even in a chapter dedicated to Indian art, the Dancing Girl could not be shown in its true form with accurate proportions. Danino argued that altering the image in this way constitutes a misrepresentation of the original artifact. He emphasized that modifying the visual appearance of any historical object essentially distorts the reality it represents, which sets a problematic precedent for how cultural heritage is taught to young students.
Beyond the specific case of the Dancing Girl, Danino also raised broader questions about the practice of editing photographs of historical artifacts in educational materials. He noted that unless such changes are intended to illustrate a possible reconstruction of a damaged piece, manipulating images in this manner is akin to fabricating a replica. He suggested that this reflects a serious lack of understanding about how historical objects should be presented in academic contexts.
NCERT’s Official Response
As the controversy gained momentum on social media and in academic circles, NCERT moved quickly to address the situation. Dinesh Saklani, the director of NCERT, issued a statement confirming that the matter had been taken up seriously. He said that as soon as the issue was brought to the organization’s attention, the concerned department was directed to review it. Following consultations with subject experts, the decision was made to replace the disputed image with the original version of the Dancing Girl photograph.
Saklani added that the correction is being implemented immediately in the digital version of the textbook, while future print editions will also carry the authentic image of the statue. This move is expected to put an end to the immediate controversy, though the broader debate about the handling of historical imagery in school textbooks is likely to continue.
What the Class 9 Textbook Says About the Dancing Girl
Despite the image controversy, the textual content accompanying the photograph offers valuable insights into the historical significance of the artifact. The textbook describes the Dancing Girl as a bronze statue dating back to approximately 2600 BCE, recovered from the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro. It highlights that the statue was created using the ‘lost wax technique’, a method of metal casting that continues to be practiced in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh even today.
The book also draws attention to the statue’s distinctive posture, noting that one knee is bent, one hand rests on the hip, and the chin is slightly raised. Students are encouraged to interpret the meaning behind this pose, with the textbook posing reflective questions about what the stance might signify. In one activity, learners are asked to imitate the statue’s posture and create sketches while imagining different positions of the legs. These exercises are designed to engage students with the artifact not just as a historical object but as a piece of living artistic heritage.
Significance of the Dancing Girl in Indus Valley Civilization
The Dancing Girl remains one of the most celebrated and recognizable artifacts to emerge from the Indus Valley Civilization. Archaeologists have offered various interpretations of the statue over the years, yet much about its original context remains a mystery. What is known is that the figurine demonstrates an advanced level of metallurgical skill and artistic sensibility, making it a cornerstone of ancient Indian art history.
Danino also pointed out that similar postures have been found on at least two clay fragments excavated at the Harappan site of Bhirrana in Rajasthan. According to him, this suggests that the stance depicted in the Dancing Girl may have held particular cultural or artistic significance during that era. Such connections enrich the understanding of the artifact and underscore why preserving its accurate representation in educational materials is so important.
The controversy over the Dancing Girl image has opened up a wider conversation about the responsibilities of educational publishers when presenting historical artifacts. While NCERT has taken corrective action, the episode serves as a reminder that accuracy and authenticity must remain paramount when introducing young learners to the cultural treasures of the past.
