The Indian government has reversed a decision to alter a textbook image of the ancient bronze statue known as the ‘Dancing Girl’, restoring her bare torso after a public backlash. The move follows weeks of controversy over what critics called an attempt to sanitise India’s cultural heritage.
The statue, a 4,500-year-old artefact from the Indus Valley Civilisation, is one of the subcontinent’s most celebrated archaeological finds. First discovered in Mohenjo-Daro in the 1920s, the figurine depicts a young woman in a confident pose, unclothed except for a necklace and bangles. Earlier this year, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) published a revised textbook in which the statue was shown wearing a skirt and top, sparking accusations of prudish censorship.
Following intense public pressure, the NCERT announced on Wednesday that it would restore the original image. In a statement, the council said the change had been made “after due consultation with experts” and acknowledged that the earlier alteration “did not reflect the historical accuracy expected of educational materials.” The statement did not explain why the initial modification had been made, nor who authorised it.
The episode has deepened a cultural and political row over the role of heritage in Indian identity. Supporters of the original change argued that the statue’s nudity was inappropriate for schoolchildren. Others saw it as an attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to impose a conservative Hindu moral code on India’s diverse past. The BJP has denied any involvement, but the party has a history of promoting a sanitised version of history in textbooks, often downplaying non-Hindu influences.
Historians and archaeologists have largely welcomed the reversal. “The Dancing Girl is a masterpiece of Bronze Age artistry. To clothe her was to erase the reality of the Indus Valley people, who had a very different relationship with the human body,” said Dr. Meera Sharma, a professor of archaeology at the University of Delhi. “This is a victory for evidence over ideology.”
Parents and teacher groups have expressed mixed views. Some fear that the controversy distracts from more pressing educational issues, such as outdated syllabi and underfunded schools. Others believe the government has caved to a vocal minority. “Children should learn about history as it was, not as we wish it to be,” said Rajesh Kumar, a parent of two in New Delhi. “But this whole episode feels like a political football.”
The reversal has not ended the debate. Opposition parties have called for an investigation into the original textbook change, accusing the NCERT of bowing to “saffronisation” – a term used to describe the promotion of Hindu nationalist values. The Congress party demanded that the government “stop playing with our children’s education and our cultural heritage.”
Internationally, the episode has cast a shadow over India’s soft power. The Dancing Girl is a symbol of the country’s ancient civilisation, often featured in cultural diplomacy. The controversy has been widely reported by global media, including the BBC and The Guardian, which have framed it as a clash between historical truth and political correctness.
The NCERT has not indicated whether it will revise other textbook images. Experts note that the Dancing Girl is not the only artefact to have been altered; earlier this year, a map in a history textbook was modified to show the Ram Temple in Ayodhya – built in 2024 on the site of a demolished mosque – as a centuries-old structure. The council dismissed those concerns as “unfounded.”
As the row subsides, the Dancing Girl stands restored in her original form. But the underlying tension over who defines India’s past and its presentation in classrooms is unlikely to fade.
