Ever wondered how children went to school during the British era? Or what was the norm when it came to daily chores? Or for that matter, what the common man ate? These are questions that our history books have left unanswered. A heritage conservation group called the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, as part of their pilot project is imparting knowledge on the city’s cultural and heritage history to children in a government school in Goripalya. The idea behind these sessions is to familiarise students on local history. A move that celebrates our past, this initiative could also be adapted by others.
Ann Mary Ninan, a student says, “I think it’s a very thoughtful initiative. When I was in school, nobody taught me about what the common man ate or how children went to school or if they were even allowed to go to school. It will be an eye opener to learn local history that has never been taught or been spoken about. I would love to find out if there were other type of prisoners (rapists, petty thieves, terrorists etc). Except for our freedom fighters during the British rule, it would be nice to know what they did during their holidays or free time.”
Noel Varghese feels that that apart from history, people will also get to know the good and simple side too. He says, “I think it is a great initiative. I’ve met students who have seen the negative side of India, and don’t have an in the British rule, and India’s freedom struggle. Every Indian should know about the local history so that they develop a patriotic feeling. And pass the same legacy to future generations. I would like to know the daily life during the British rule.”
Knowing the history of the place and society we live in will help contribute to our future too. Tanvira Paul, a Phd student adds, “It’s really essential to be aware of history. Only then can we truly understand our present. It also gives people an idea which can culturally enrich them. I feel that they should introduce it to arts majors as they will also be able to contribute to society. This will help them engage in a lot of social activities. Heritage sites in the city, and stories linked to these sites, they can all be illuminating. I would like know about the art and science during that period.”
Vinay Kumar says, “The local history of a place is grossly neglected in our history books. In our text books, a large portion of Bengaluru’s history is missing. Generally, and practically, it’s impossible to condense the tomes of Indian history into one book. But even among significant points, local history needs a mention. A student in Bengaluru who has not had the chance to visit these places, will not have a connect. Unless one connects students to local history, they won’t be able to generate interest in local heritage. Text books should focus on local tidbits. Bengaluru itself has a history of 1,300 years which is neglected. So all these facts need to be mentioned.”
