Narayana Guru material to be added to Karnataka school and college textbooks

Material on Narayana Guru’s life, writings and social contributions will be included in school and college textbooks, Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa said on Saturday. Bangarappa made the announcement in Mysuru while inaugurating Narayana Guru Jayanthi celebrations at Kalamandira. He said society had a collective responsibility to ensure that the reformer’s contributions and his emphasis on human values reached future generations.

The minister described Narayana Guru as a spiritual leader and social reformer who recognised education as essential for people to live with dignity and respect. He referred to the reformer’s message, “Make schools bigger and the pomp of temples smaller”. Bangarappa also said Narayana Guru sought to communicate that education which created awareness was more valuable than blind beliefs and superstitions.

The proposed textbook material will cover his life, writings and social work, according to the minister. K. Harish Gowda, MLA for the Chamaraja Assembly constituency, said Narayana Guru had worked to oppose discrimination, untouchability and superstition.

Gowda said the reformer sought to build an egalitarian society guided by the principle of “One caste, one religion, one God.” Gowda said Narayana Guru’s work was not limited to constructing temples. He added that the reformer’s primary objective was also to establish schools and give the acquisition of knowledge the highest priority. The announcement was made during the Mysuru celebrations, but the supplied material did not specify when the textbook changes would be introduced, which classes would receive the material or which bodies would oversee its preparation.

The minister’s statement establishes the intended inclusion of the study material in both school and college textbooks.