Learning about Indian History

Recently I bought three books - The Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Sri Aurobindo's commentary), Dasavatara and Sanatana Dharma. I have started reading Sanatana Dharma by Annie Besant and Bhagwan Dass. Good that I did - else I would not have known that Dr Bhagwan Dass was the first receipient of the Bharat Ratna.

I tried to recall my days in school and tried to recollect whether we were taught about the Gita, Sanatana Dharma or the Dasavatara. Save some chapters that mention of the ancient Indian scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads and the Puranas) and the Gita, we were not taught about our rich heritage of the Sanatana Dharma - which is unique to this part of the world and has no parallel. The only other place where there was a serious attempt to enlighten us with our heritage was in my higher secondary class at the Ramakrishna Mission.

As parents, we are duty bound to teach our children things that are not taught in schools. But to teach them we need to know the subject ourselves!